Crunch time for Nokia at AT&T

Getting a Nokia on a US network is a task. Getting some support from the network would be amazing.

Yesterday, Ali posted a story (via CNET) that AT&T are promising the biggest launch ever for the Nokia Lumia 900. Bigger than anything they’ve ever done. Even iPhone.

“At all levels, this is a notch above anything we’ve ever done,” AT&T device head Jeff Bradley said in an interview with CNET, noting that includes the launch of the iPhone.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-57405796-94/at-t-promises-biggest-launch-ever-for-lumia-900

That’s music to a Nokia fan’s ears. Over the many years we have wanted great products that were marketed properly so consumers could be aware of its existence and perhaps consider it in their line of purchase.

Even when Nokia was soaring above the rest, it meant little to the American consumer, naive of the fact that Nokia already had 5MP, GPS, Multitasking capable smartphones that could record video and install apps (N95). Great device but poor relationship with the US carriers, insufficient marketing to let consumers realise the device exists.

We now have a high end Nokia appearing on AT&T, and it won’t just be Nokia and Microsoft, but also AT&T promoting the Lumia 900.

• Cnet says the blitzkrieg begins from April 8th.
• Massive TV marketing campaign
• Center piece at AT&T stores
• Massive posters and signs promoting the device
• Extensive training for the AT&T reps done
• Majority will carry a Lumia 900 at all times
• Will launch with a number of unique accessories

http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-57405796-94/at-t-promises-biggest-launch-ever-for-lumia-900

This amount of focus and intense marketing would preferably be partnered with an unequivocally amazing device (not just excellent in user experience but on paper too, so folks concerned just with specs would also find it attractive). The Lumia 900 is a great device, though technically on paper, a 2011 device. Does that matter to the end user? Probably not to 99% of users. There are many things on paper that you can’t appreciate. The brilliant bright clear black screen, the solid build and attractive design, the fluidity, reliability, speed of 4G LTE all in a relatively cheap asking price. Overall, the user experience is very high for this phone.

It does NOT matter one bit what other device exists. I hope Nokia will simply focus on what their product offers and then allow consumers to decide if this is the type of user experience they want, that the Lumia 900 would be the choice to make.

In this world where the only phones that appear to exist appear to be an iPhone or some Samsung/HTC Droid, a huge campaign like what is promised here is needed.

Though the Lumia 710 was the first device for the US market, the Lumia 900 will be the one to bear the responsibility of beginning to bring Nokia back to the US. We can only hope to see signs of Nokia Apollo and W8 tablets this year to bolster up their Metro based arsenal.

Category: Nokia