Nokia World 2012 taking place earlier! September 5-6 + change in format.
Nokia World 2012, originally scheduled to take place in Finland, September 25-26 is taking place ahead of schedule!
http://mynokiablog.com/2012/03/06/nokia-world-2012-is-coming-home-to-finland-september-25-26/
The Helsinki Nokia World is taking place September 5th-6th instead! Also there’s a change in format. It won’t be the big single Nokia World event that it usually is, but various small ones.
Hopefully this means that products from Nokia are coming ahead of schedule, as opposed to some being delayed and hence requiring Nokia World to be broken up not to delay products that are ready.
This first event is INVITATION ONLY and will be for operator and retail partners. So, not for bloggers then.
We have made some changes to the format and date of Nokia World 2012. Instead of a single, large-scale event as we have had in years past, we will run a number of smaller, more intimate events with specific audiences in mind. Think less CES, moreSXSW.
The first of these will take place in Helsinki on September 5-6. (A while ago we announced that it would be held on September 25-26, but the date has now been advanced by a couple of weeks.) This invitation-only event will cater primarily to our operator and retail partners.
With these more intimate events we want to provide the most enjoyable and rewarding experience tailored for each audience.
Other activities will be announced in the weeks and months ahead. Stay Tuned.
http://conversations.nokia.com/2012/05/23/nokia-world-gets-new-format-and-date/
More details, as just mentioned, will appear later (weeks and months).
“Other Nokia activities for the media and bloggers will be announced in the coming weeks and months. “
This might be good and bad. At Nokia World, everything is always announced on Day 1. Nothing of interest happens day 2. There’s also that anticlimax of nothing coming after hoping for a surprise.
What this means is that time and time again, some particular device will overshadow something else. This should mean more focused buzz on what they’re announcing. It could work really well to concentrate your efforts on a particular audience. Media and bloggers one side who can mingle with each other, retail partners and carriers on the other. They both mix with Nokia but with each other, they’re kinda like oil and water.
In contrast, it could be bad in that there are less attendees – less excitement, less of a show. But Nokia World should not be about the show, but about the products. Hopefully this Nokia World is focused on delivering the best products. At the very worst, it’s bad because Nokia are keeping purse strings tight.
BTW regarding devices, I would prefer to have big splashy devices instead of multiple mediocre ones please. This is what began our troubles in the first place. I hope we are seeing great devices in these mini intimate Nokia Worlds. It would be cool to have multiple Nokia Worlds at various regions all at the same time, so then really, the whole world can enjoy Nokia World locally as opposed to jetting off to one location and many people missing out. Yes it might mean that there’s less of the meet ups and networking – but more people get to see the Nokia products, which is really what we should care about.
Update:
Heidi Lemmetyinen says:We’re changing the set-up because we want to provide targeted events for different stakeholders. The previous Nokia Worlds have been pretty gigantic, catering for operators, retailers, analysts, investors, media, bloggers, etc. This year we are going to tailor each event for a different target audience to make sure the attendees can really get the most out of it. In a nutshell: don’t read too much into it
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so they’ll be releasing less products? less devices/technology/innovation to showcase therefore more “intimate” events makes sense considering they’re currently living off of cash reserves
Erm how do you even come to that conclusion?
why not more devices/innovations shown that caters to different audiences? O.o
how do i come to that conclusion? current events my friend
how? by simple logic, statemants, financial data, customers preffering better phones and system than the primary sh..t of Windows etc. And addiction to M$ money, what mean they are not live on their own. This is dependency and leads to nowhere we (customers) would like to see the Nokia.
How may events will be around MeeGo or Nokia N9 or it’s successor? No matter how named Meltemi or Tizen or whatever?
Do you care for customers preferences or only for Big Boss Bill companions fun?
And why we will hear once again what a big succes Windows is? Because this will be an unexpected surprise??
Whatever. Have fun. This year I am not comming.
And you’re not invited, so hey that’s a win-win right there.
Will be the first such the event which can happen w/o people interested in? This nust be interesting event indeed. And this is quite a new idea to unwelcome potential participants…. Perhaps Nokia do not need anybody and can do everything on their own: produce, maintain, sell & buy. Good luck. And do not invite me also, please.
There are competitors who will love to have me on their events as a participant.
Nokia will only have 1 product to show in that month and even that will take month before anyone can buy it.
S40 products nobody cares. So those do not count.
Business as usual.
If you’re proven right, this would mean that two(!) years after announcement of Nokia as “main” WP partner/provider, it has smaller WP portfolio than Samsung or HTC, which are doing WP just to be polite to MS. Doesn’t look good.
Hope you are wrong this time
Awesome! School here starts on Sept 17th- hopefully it’ll be before then.
Reading between the lines it’s possible that they want to sell the carriers on these devices before presenting them to the public; possibly leading to a same day launch or within a month.
Is that good or bad? New devices ready to release earlier? I hope so.
This might be good and bad. At Nokia World, everything is always announced on Day 1. Nothing of interest happens day 2. There’s also that anticlimax of nothing coming after hoping for a surprise.
What this means is that time and time again, some particular device will overshadow something else. This should mean more focused buzz on what they’re announcing. It could work really well to concentrate your efforts on a particular audience. Media and bloggers one side who can mingle with each other, retail partners and carriers on the other. They both mix with Nokia but with each other, they’re kinda like oil and water.
In contrast, it could be bad in that there are less attendees – less excitement, less of a show. But Nokia World should not be about the show, but about the products. Hopefully this Nokia World is focused on delivering the best products.
We’re changing the set-up because we want to provide targeted events for different stakeholders. The previous Nokia Worlds have been pretty gigantic, catering for operators, retailers, analysts, investors, media, bloggers, etc. This year we are going to tailor each event for a different target audience to make sure the attendees can really get the most out of it. In a nutshell: don’t read too much into it
Thanks Heidi. WIll update
Can you Heidi provide us with the reasons for cancelling an already announced event? This is clearly a different type of event now.
Without solid reasoning available, expect people to make their own conclusions as to what triggered the change of format.
Because, let’s be honest, your announcement answers to what, but not why – and specifically why the change of heart.
There are bound to be critics who will have a field day over this. Honest reasons as to why (without PR talk) would mitiage that.
We’re rooting for you guys here, but announcements and then cancellations such as this really eat the spirit.
Moi Janne! We’re not cancelling anything – the Helsinki event is still in the calendar. But one size does not fit all: operators or retailers have very different needs & requirements than for example developers or analysts. This is why we’ve decided to run several more customized events instead of one big one. If you can think of a better way of doing things, why not do it? I think the attendees like the fact that each event will be tailored with a specific target audience in mind.
And yes, I am very aware of the fact that every time we announce something people start reading between the lines and speculating… But it’s just something we have to live with
Heidi, thank you for the reply.
“If you can think of a better way of doing things, why not do it?”
Because the negative PR from changes of this magnitude might outweigh other benefits? That they might, in however small way, add to the uncertainty surrounding Nokia and thus hamper the overall strategy?
“I am very aware of the fact that every time we announce something people start reading between the lines and speculating… But it’s just something we have to live with.”
Not really “just something to live with” in this case. You controlled the announcement and its changes, hence could have changed what and why people start speculating. For instance, the original announcement could have been skipped or worded for different expectations.
I am wishing you well for the event(s) of course!
You are creating a self fulfilling prophecy, you are worrying so much about negative PR in so many comments here, this whole thread is now about negative PR.
There is zero reason to assume anything negative, and nobody would do so if this was any other company doing this.
Nokia had a full year of catastrophic PR blunders, not that they were much better in the past mind you, so I don’t think Janne is creating a self-fulfilling prophecy here.
I always claimed that Nokia had less issues with their strategies, even if highly questionable ones are taken, than with the way they are communicating that to the public.
Let’s see.. Nokia had a full year of catastrophic PR blunders, not that they were much better in the past..
so therefore every PR announcement can be safely blown completely out of proportion and attached to whatever negative theories that surely spell more doom.
How is that not a self fulfilling prophecy?
Dave:
An age-old adage in PR, or indeed in dealing with the customerbase at large, is to under-promise and over-deliver. Nokia has been doing a bit too much of the opposite lately. Not only through announcements that had to be later recanted for reasons unknown (Nokia 600, Lumia 610 Skype, Nokia World 2012), but with product announcements that were later limited to unexpectedly few markets. In all these cases Nokia has set the expectations themselves through their announcements and then failed to – or for whatever reason chose not to – meet them.
Look, I get it, it’s Heidi’s job to put a brave face on things. I am just not sure it is the wisest approach in this case. Not only are many people not buying it, putting too brave a face on it fails to acknowledge and appreciate people’s legitimate disappointment. For example, the people in Finland were set to expect a Nokia World like past years, finally coming home, finally Nokia taking steps to recognize the homebase so to speak with this unique premier event. And now we are being told the premier event is canned and replaced by an invite-only event and unannounced small events sometime, somewhere.
Nokia should be built to delight, not built to disappoint. Damn, those guys make it so hard to root for them sometimes.
I still remember February 10 2011 the conversations.nokia site was all “rah rah Qt everywhere” and the next day they suddenly loved windows phone so much and it was the greatest thing ever and whoohoo windows phone.
So I agree with you I am curious what is actually being planned, how, and where. There better be more in Finland, and it better be good.
Dave: Agreed!
+1
I think Janne should go to demonstrate before Nokia HQ or something, but we don’t want to see this wallowing in negativity here on MNB.
Having said that, this is news. A completely new topic, nothing known or discussed before. I think one discussion is proper. Wallowing in it for months? Not.
Dave:
“You are creating a self fulfilling prophecy, you are worrying so much about negative PR in so many comments here, this whole thread is now about negative PR.”
I think you give me too much credit, Dave. I doubt I could create any kind of self-fulfilling prophecies here. Perhaps if I were to go on and on about it for weeks and months, posting and posting about it like certain bloggers, but I have no such intentions. I will voice my concerns here today and that will mostly be that. I know Nokia PR is reading, so hopefully they will take this into consideration when planning future announcements. I think I make a valid point and with Nokia’s best at heart. If they see fit to clarify their Nokia World 2012 messaging, all the better.
I do think Nokia needs to stop this cycle of announce-and-then-suddenly-withdraw thing they have had going on recently: Nokia 600, Lumia 610 Skype and Nokia World 2012 to name a few. I think it is hurting their mission and their image and adding to the uncertainty and ambiguity Nokia is currently in. At best it looks like the left hand does not know what the right is doing, at worst it suggests there are more negative things brewing under the hood. I’m not necessarily disagreeing with their changes to Nokia World, I’m disagreeing with the fact that they announced one thing and then changed it so suddenly.
I’m keeping it real. When I see something I disagree with, even while rooting for Nokia’s success, I think the discussion benefits from being honest about it (unless it goes into repetition mode for months on end). I disagreed with the Symbian transition, while still agreeing with the fact and reasons that Symbian had to go. I disagreed with February 11th PR, as with this Nokia World 2012 PR, while still supporting and agreeing with at leat the potential in the Windows Phone strategy. I want Nokia to succeed, but I will not succumb to any kind of blindness about it. Shades of grey doesn’t mean all things are equally likely.
“There is zero reason to assume anything negative, and nobody would do so if this was any other company doing this.”
There may be little reason assume anything negative, but I do think there is certainly plausible reasons to believe in the possibility of something negative – and more importantly from the vague announcement, many people (no matter what I say), will think negatively of it. And I fear it may add to Nokia’s uncertainty. This is what happens when you announce one thing and then weeks later withdraw and announce a completely different kind of thing. It adds to uncertainty, to “what’s going on”?
I mean, we were told that they are improving the concept. But we were not told why one thing was announced, and then another came into being. Also, the usual Nokia World format already had different tracks for different kind of people, so the explanation doesn’t really fly anyway. Unless the reason is cost-cutting, but considering Nokia World was able to sell out at premium prices, I’m not sure even that flies. What happened between the two announcements? Please don’t tell me people are not going to speculate. And I do think it is warranted for them to do so. Such a sudden change of Nokia World format, in the atmosphere that Nokia is in, will add to uncertainty – and the announcement did little to alleviate this. Maybe in the coming days and weeks they will fix it, but so far color me less than happy about how this one turned out.
No, it’s not a big deal. But somewhat of deal nevertheless. And finally, as a Finn, I’m unhappy there apparently won’t be a Nokia World for the locals to attend in numbers (relative numbers considering the usual cost of course). We were given this hope and now it seems to be going away, I think that sucks. The wording of the announcement even suggests only the invite-only is now scheduled for Finland, other events may be elsewhere. Perhaps that was poor wording, and we will have something more come fall, but going by what I see for the moment I can see why not all are impressed.
I have no problem with you disagreeing with me on this one, Dave. This is just my opinion.
As for the last part, while I do not really consider NW open to the public in any way (800$ or so for a ticket? unless your boss or the tax man is paying, that’s a bit steep), I had assumed the events still take place in Helsinki, and that one event would be specifically for the public to have a look at what was announced, with free or modest entry fees.
In other words, a bigger deal for Helsinki than previously thought.
If Helsinki only gets this event it’ll be a bit of a disappointment, it also would not make any sense that if you’re going to have only event in Helsinki, you’d pick some closed retailer+operator event for it.
For the rest, time will tell. Communication could be clearer, that’s true.
Dave:
If the retailer, operator event’s announcements are mostly feeded into public domain, then it will be a less of an issue who can attend there. But from the announcement that bloggers and media would get their own event I get the sense that the event on the new dates is under lock and key. That is a major change to what we were expecting.
“I had assumed the events still take place in Helsinki, and that one event would be specifically for the public to have a look at what was announced, with free or modest entry fees.”
It is of course possible they will still have such events in Helsinki, and I do wish they will, but I am mostly critical here of the PR. It only mentions media and bloggers as the next group to be targeted. From the original announcement I got the sense that this year we’d get the regular Nokia World and perhaps some sideshows for less-paying public. Now it seems, there might only be a string of smaller events for ever-smaller audiences. It seems like a Nokia World in name only.
“In other words, a bigger deal for Helsinki than previously thought.”
Hopefully, but from the wording it also seems possible the rest of the events are elsewhere.
“If Helsinki only gets this event it’ll be a bit of a disappointment, it also would not make any sense that if you’re going to have only event in Helsinki, you’d pick some closed retailer+operator event for it.”
Possible, but they might also choose that location because the HQ is here and because they need to have something in Finland, because that is what they originally announced.
“For the rest, time will tell. Communication could be clearer, that’s true.”
Agreed, I’m mostly worried about this as a PR disaster. The events and activities in themselves may be just fine and wise. I still hope there is a good string of Nokia World-like events in Finland, without major setbacks or delays, and the PR will be clarified. You know me, ever the optimist.
I agree with the new approach. As before this it is hard for Nokia to cater or handle every single audiences due to extremely large number of people. With specific audiences mean Nokia can interact with almost everyone that come to the event. So Nokia can clarify anything and interact well to each audience face to face.
omg Heidi!
i thought this blog has some random readers only.
Nokia has nothing to show. That’s the problem.
That would not be just a problem but a real catastrophe.
Thank you Heidi!
“This invitation-only event will cater primarily to our operator and retail partners.”
I think this is announcement for early event ahead of Nokia World.
And here is the reply from @NOkia team ” The Helsinki event is catering for our operator and retail partners. Other Nokia activities for the ” media and bloggers” will be announced in the coming weeks and months”
Sounds like a smart move. Nokia are no longer the king of the hill and need to work with their markets.
Migght wanna add this Jay
Heidi Lemmetyinen, Editor-in-Chief, Nokia Conversations Collapse
“Hi Stefan, the Helsinki event is catering for our operator and retail partners. Other Nokia activities for the media and bloggers will be announced in the coming weeks and months. “
NICE! Nokia has alot of innovation to show of but if you have a big event you can not show off new products and features individually to them who are intrested. The lunch of the pureview camera is a good example, they talked about the huge sensor and excellent picture quality but after the presentation no one really understood what was the point with a huge 41 mp sensor.
But I also hope for some kind of bigger nokia event about nokias strategy across all of their OSs and future plans!
Nokia may be doing this to get a clear picture of which country and operators\retailers are ready for the newer devices. And based on the demand, Nokia can release a list of countries those phones will be released instead of the current situation where nothing is clear regarding the release of devices in different markets.
I like this line of thought.
Nokia always says “coming to market in the coming months” but by having the operators view it sooner, they can gauge a better idea of which markets will get it initially, and a rough time frame so they can do an Apple and say, for example “UK, USA, Germany, Australia, Italy, Canada and France will get the Nokia Lumia 910 PureView from the 29th Sept, other markets to follow soon after”
An announcement like this makes everyone feel a lot better than, “coming to select markets in the coming months”
Exactly. And they can even say phone X is not coming to Country Y at the start instead of people asking when will X be released in Y.
+1
Frankly, this piece of news awoke my cynical side. First as a Finn it is of course disappointing that Helsinki will not get a full-fledged Nokia World. They should not have announced and then changed plans.
More importantly, I actually think this may mean they are not ready to show the WP8 products in public by September, but will instead postpone that to October or November. This is just me speculating, but FWIW.
So, a B- for Nokia for this one.
They could have just had it in October in the first place, like last year, if it’s about not having stuff ready by September.
At this point this can be interpreted as bad news or as good news.
I still want to wait and see what happens, I don’t think it is as simple as “not ready. They’ve announced products months in advance before, for announcements one month makes no difference. Besides, they would move NW as such, not split it up. And, there is no obligation to move it forwards in that case either.
As I live in Finland I’m hoping one of the events will be a public event, showing new devices, after some PR press event somewhere else, to Finns and anyone who can bother to show up in Kaivopuisto or Messukeskus or whereever, to reach out and make peace with the angry conspiracy theorists and such.
NW is usually about waiting for the Asha and life blah blah speeches to be over and having the good stuff introduced. Splitting it up could be good.
Could be good, could be bad. Not going to give a grade yet
Dave:
I’m not necessarily expecting this news to be tied to some major bad news regarding Windows Phone 8 (it might something else, like a logistical or budget reason), I’d expect any delay there to be a few weeks tops anyway, but clearly the reason why is shrouded in ambiguity – and as such open season for speculation and not the kind of PR Nokia needs right now. Like there wasn’t enough ammunication for the critics already.
It’s only ambiguous to you because that’s how you choose to see it. It’s this way because they think it’s better to do it this way. Why do they think it’s better to do it this way? Heidi explains why in the comment to you.
That everybody reads between the lines or that this is ammunication for theverge, well, too bad. You’re doing exactly the same thing.
Dave: Disagree. I think the uncertainty I propose in this case is fair and warranted even with the responses, which answer what but not really why. I hope it is all nothing and no bad PR will come of it, of course.
They are obviously not going to talk about devices or roadmaps or products that have not been announced yet, so what do you actually expect them to say other than “this is better, trust us” ?
Product delays is no reason to move anything, so it must be something more interesting.
Dave:
Well, first of all I expected them to hold a Nokia World 2012 much like the past years in Helsinki, in late September like they announced – and even asked their readers are they going to attend this year. Only to later change the date and format to an invite-only event to operators and retailers.
Second, I don’t expect them to give use the real reason why the change happened. But I do hope they understand failure to do so will cause uncertainty in the audience. The current transition has asked for a lot of “trust us” already. Every bit more will drop a few more flies somewhere.
I think it may have been wiser to stick with something on the original dates, open in a similar manner that past Nokia Worlds were open. That would have alleviated much of the pain from this PR. For example, the current PR only mentions carriers and retailers, as well as bloggers and media in the future, but it does not mention developers at all.
Developers used to be a major audience for Nokia World. And now, cue in the detractors and their “Microsoft rules that now” message. And, really, who can even blame them?
Whoa, at least we can agree to agree on this. Little more arguing and you will be full fledged realist spewing pessimistic comments all around MNB.
I don’t think Nokia should launch WP8 phones in some intimate events for selected audiences. They need to do big splash.
nn:
“Little more arguing and you will be full fledged realist spewing pessimistic comments all around MNB.”
I’m always trying to keep it real. You just disagree with me on certain things.
“I don’t think Nokia should launch WP8 phones in some intimate events for selected audiences. They need to do big splash.”
And I expect they will. Hence I also expect that public event to be now later then originally expected.
Unlike certain “blogs”, I’m not into hiding the downsides when they seem to be there. I try to take it all in and discuss all sides.
This particular one, well, doesn’t resonate well.
@nn, btw, since you claimed I see nothing wrong in the WP world, I replied to that in the thread here on the Wired story, listing some 15 or so (and its not exhaustive) things that would make WP better.
I have mentioned probably all of those things in my other comments before though.
Viipottaja:
I hope that nn and others can see that we are trying to root for Nokia but also have real and balanced discussions. When there is cause for negative, it will be discussed honestly and fully.
No, I didn’t claim you are saying _nothing_ is wrong with WP. My point was that the continuous, now almost two years long sales disaster is symptom of much bigger problem and people like you are ignoring the question of what this problem is and what Nokia should do to correct it. Instead we hear the defence that everything is grey, things could be seen as good and bad and who knows what the reality is? So the practical advice is it’s better to trust Elop to do what he’s doing, which is exactly the same final output as from someone who is arguing that everything is perfect.
And funnily enough you proved this point, when things, which you just one post before argued aren’t much of a problem (certainly not the problem causing the sales fiasco), could, on the other hand, need a little bit of fixing and Nokia should to try to tackle them. Which is exactly the current Elop’s strategy.
By saying things are grey I am not primarily saying that things could always be seen as good or bad. Yes, in many case they can be. But more importantly, things are – I believe – more complicated than I perceive them to be and there are more considerations going into the decisions Nokia is making that I could possibly think of or know of. _I_ do not think I necessarily know better.
I never said that everything Elop is doing is right. I do say I don’t everything he is doing is wrong. In fact, I do think he has made quite a few good changes to the organization and has delivered WP products in a fairly impressive manner. I do think it is fair to acknowledge the good things as well as to complain about the bad things.
I am most worried about the lower end of Nokia’s portfolio and its ability to compete with cheap Androids. That part of the strategy has to start delivering, and fast.
I am assuming that WP remains Nokia’s main smartphone platform for the upper mid to high price points. I do not think they should change the stragy there drastically (e.g. by adopting Android all of a sudden or trying to resurrect Meego). So what are the corrections that you would make then? What is the big problem that you think Nokia and MS need to/can make to make WP more succuesful? I do think working at it and improving things does have a chance of making it a success. OBVIOUSLY, a lot is hanging on W8/WP8. Yes, it is a big risk still.
Also, since I guess you have not read all my comments (and why would you have) so let me repeat also a few points I have made before that are not about the UI/features:
- Nokia, MS and carriers need to market WP much more and better (Nokia seems to be doing its parts fairly now; MS and carriers – not so much)
- WP needs to roll out to more countries and price points and faster and add more language support
- communication mistakes were made and needs to improve further
And finally, I DO BELIEVE there is no carrier boycott ala Tomi Ahonen. I think that argument is just complete bollocks (as are some of his sales number calculations). But hey, I may well be just wearing my grey tinted glasses again.
+1 to Viipottaja.
+1 to Viipottaja
I need to comment your opinions though
“I am most worried about the lower end of Nokia’s portfolio and its ability to compete with cheap Androids. That part of the strategy has to start delivering, and fast.”
What was the hurry killing Symbian? It is clear that it had no room in the high end. E6, 700, 701, 603 amd even 500 seem to be decent devices. Belle could have carried Nokia in the low high end segment. In that case they wouldn’t have needed to push WP to lower segment and cause the very fragmentation they wanted to avoid from Sym and Android. Ok, it is easier to sack people through Accenture and not do it by yourself.
Also, why did he stall the Qt ecosystem, if the other main pillar of his strategy is highly dependent on it?
“I am assuming that WP remains Nokia’s main smartphone platform for the upper mid to high price points.”
I agree, they do not have a choise anymore. Some strategy consultants may give credits to bold moves, others would remind keeping strategic options. Im of the latter school of thought.
“- Nokia, MS and carriers need to market WP much more and better (Nokia seems to be doing its parts fairly now; MS and carriers – not so much)”
Does this say that the choise of partner was the correct one. Nokia went to rescue WP and the platform owner does not seem to be at all interested in Mango anymore. The partnership does not seem to be at all as deep as Elop is trying to paint the picture. Come on, MS should push Skype harder to get a lite version out to save their faces. Or at least keep their mouths shut.
“- WP needs to roll out to more countries and price points and faster and add more language support”
This underlines the monstrous errors made in publishing the all-in strategy. They must have known the ‘Nokia’ limitations in 2011 ie that WP was not mature to most of Nokia’s markets.
“- communication mistakes were made and needs to improve further”
Too bad I missed the AGM. I would have liked to ask (among all the crazy people there)
1. what was Elops talk for example “no more than four Meego devices before 2014″ was all about. Or did he disguise the facts that they could have had plenty of Maemo + Meego API devices.
Summa summarum, I agree with your analysis and proposed priorities. I disagree to large extent on Elop’s strategic choises, communication and timing. He might be at his best in organising and getting things done – as was said after the recruitment announcement – but not in strategic thinking. I strongly believe that there was the sense of urgency within Nokia already when he was hired and OPK was kicked out.
And sometimes things are not so complicated, in fact they could be even quite simple and obvious.
But we are running in circles, you again dodged the question of what is causing the catastrophic sales, instead the presented plan is more marketing, more PR and more piecemeal updates, i.e. the exact same things that MS and Elop were doing in the past and are planning to do into foreseeable future.
I thought I did answer your question to the extent I could (and as you may have seen I don’t think I necessarily know the answers). If you don’t agree with my answer, that is fine but I would hope you don’t just accuse me of not trying to answer or dodging your questionss. I don’t really understand why you need to be as combatative as that.
Also, if I may: what would you change to make WP suddenly sell a lot more? What is your solution?
I don’t think WP7 can be fixed, especially in the time that is left for Nokia. So the only bet really is the WP8 rewrite, but I don’t have much hope due to the unchanged logic with which MS approaches mobile phones.
If they are not going to release WP8 devices in Helsinki what do they release then? New s40 Ashas?
They must show something mindblowing. Otherwise other manufacturers are way too far.
And when they release something they must tell exact shipping day.
Not sure this looks good.. it is good only if they really are able to show some devices to the carriers and retailers earlier than they thought. The Debbie Downers might also say “well, they are only showing them in closed events because they are actually BEHIND schedule and the devices will not be in good enough a shape to show off in a big public show”…
Hope, REALLY hope it is the former. Or that they just thought this makes better sense tactically, regardless of/not only based on when the procucts are ready.
Am I a Debbie Downer?
Or just trying to keep it real?
I was actually being a Debbie Downer myself, and agreed with your comment above.
Then again, I hope Heidi’s clarification and “don’t read to much into it” was along the lines of my “Or that they just thought this makes better sense tactically, regardless of/not only based on when the procucts are ready.”
I should just add “or logistically” to my sentense perhaps.
Viipottaja:
Thanks for the clarification. Got that now.
I just wish they’d consider the PR ramifications more. There was no need to announce the old September dates and a Nokia World 2012 that seemed like any other by the original announcement, if it was still uncertain how it would go down. And the PR spin is just not sinking, really it isn’t.
nokia’s future depends upon device going to be unveiled then.do or die situation.
More to come for other stakeholders? First of these events? Hmmm…
I am thinking that maybe, just maybe, they are staggering the flow just a bit.
Overall I think staggering the flow is a good idea, and not tying themselves to events too far in advance. This at least seems to give them more leeway for fall.
But it also looks like a cost-control excercise and risk-management if not everything is ready come September. I think at this point Nokia would be wise to try and avoid all pull-backs.
Lumia 610 Skype cancellation yesterday and Nokia World nuked today. Really, Nokia? Really? Things like this, and the one cancelled launch Belle last fall, things like this need to be fixed before announcement.
Not like this. Not like this.
You do understand that they have no control over the OS … so they have no way of optimizing any of it. Microsoft is pulling the string now, wake up.
Well, that is exactly one type of ambiguity and uncertainty this format/date move gives more unfortunate momentum to. I’m sure we’ll be hearing that argument a lot over the weeks and months, even though I think the reality is much more complicated than that.
If they get one dual core and one Quad core out on Nokia World with Pureview, then believe me Nokia will recover very fast or samsung will get a Quad core out definitely. (quad cores are no way better but normal peoples just think no. Of cores are good, i personally hate quads).
Currently holding a NL710, and its missing lots of basic feature (specially BFT). I’m a student so my dad gets me new mobile after 2 yrs. So i will wait and see how does the wp platform developes. If its sexy i will go for it or i will have to find alternate platform.
And i love my NL710, everybody keeps asking me whats your model no.
Does someone need to state the obvious. Windows 8 and all the devices will be launching in October. Anything Nokia showcases in September unless its cold fusion will be sidelined for the big event of windows 8.
Nokia had 2 opions continue as is and go for a late September Nokia World or change it and de-emphasize it completely as it will get consumed by the Windows 8 juggernaught.
Nokia will not eb launching anything significant during Nokia World they will in October during Windows 8 World!
To me it seems Nokia indeed will be launching things, in private and under NDA, in September and public launches have perhaps now been postponed to maybe October. Considering that the old September dates are not that old, I guess they were forced to change plans for whatever reason. Delays? Costs? Some internal reasons we are not privy to?
But this is just me speculating. Of course I’d wish Nokia to launch with a big bang on 5-6 September, with public press releases, and surprise us all. While the world has many shades of grey as I say, forgive me if I think that is a little less grey of a likelyhood than the more disappointing option.
Nokia next launch devices will be WP8. They cannot launch devices before Wp8 is officially launched by MS in October.
They would have know this before. Likely they would have informed their retail pratners and operators keep dates in September free. Now they have the inenviable situation of a) postponing NW until after October or b) doing it but on a smaller scale.
MS most likely has noww given an official date for the launch of WP to Nokia who have responded by changing their event – the $1bn does by you some leeway!
Kan, apart from seeming to have super inside information and knowing for a fact all the dates to do with Windows 8, WOA and WP8, it’s completely irrelevant when WP8 is actually launched. They announced the N8 MONTHS before S^3 was launched, in fact the whole delay for the N8 was waiting for the launch.
One month more or less makes no difference in announcements.
Bookmark this comment and lets see who ended up being right.
“irrelevant when WP8 is actually launched”
Lets take this pearl of wisdom. If it doesn’t matter when it’s launched and Samsung et al have said they would delay making WP phones until WP8 is launched then what signal does that send to the market other than the current o/s is not satisfactory. What happens – it depresses sales.
“launched”, not “announced”.
You really think Microsoft just now realized they can’t launch WP8 before Nokiaworld ? That if it was that close they would have put it in september in the first place instead of in october like last year ?
“Samsung et al have said they would delay making WP phones until WP8 is launched ”
Do you know how long it takes to develop a device? It means Samsung won’t be releasing any WP7.5 devices but waiting for WP8, but these devices are obviously already in prototype stages being tested with WP8.
What are you on about? I don’t follow your logic. Please explain.
MS will launch WP8 at their time of choosing. This will not be before W8 is launched.
As to your second paragraph its just tautology. I do know that read my post below.
I just don’t understand your argument.
“Nokia next launch devices will be WP8. They cannot launch devices before Wp8 is officially launched by MS in October.
They would have know this before. Likely they would have informed their retail pratners and operators keep dates in September free. Now they have the inenviable situation of a) postponing NW until after October or b) doing it but on a smaller scale.”
I simply disagree that this is the reason. If there was any chance of this happening, they would have planned NW for october like last year, instead of september. Furthermore this implies that even though the first event has moved forwards 3 weeks, the exciting announcements are being moved backwards. We have no reason to think that (yet). By all (and scarce) rumours W8 and WP8 are well on schedule.
If they had planned NW post WP8 launch it would have been drowned out and would have felt like after the Lord Mayors parade.
They as I contend have broken NW up to be both pre and post W8 launch.
W8 will be launched this year as Ballmer has come out with Bullish comments about having 500m W8 users by 2013. Also W8 Release preview is coming in the first few days of June. This will the RTM sign off for vendors.
Also if people have penned into their calendars NW around September moving it back into October may have been too difficult so going ahead with a smaller event in September makes sense.
If you actually consider for a moment what this means then its actually a positive sign for Nokia. WP8 and WOA is on track for an october launch and frankly it couldn’t come soon enough.
Operators know that Windows 8 is MS big bet. Samsung, Nokia and others are all developing devices to be ready for the launch in October.
Nokia and the networks are always in contact with timelines and development. It’s not just a case of Nokia getting on the phone and saying “hey we just built our new phone, how many do you want?”
Operators will be playing one manufacturer off against another. Nokia doesnt have the market power it once did- it cannot dictate as much.
Looks like cash crunch. They might not have enough money to launch a massive event by then!
No, this is not it. Sure, they may also be trying to spend as much money. But they still Euro 5 billion in cash.
Wasn’t the cash reserve of 5B at the end of March? Its almost end of May and with the promotion of 900 in the US, the subsequent $100 rebate and with even more tanking of Symbian sales expected, I don’t think they have lot less by now.
@Ebon & Unicorn N9s +1 for you.
-$’s for Nokia, cash must be down on previous report with Mid to low end sales collapse in Symbian ans S40 (didn’t have any high end anyway) and heavy promotional spend and huge discounting of Lumia devices, replacing faulty L900 units and $100 rebate in UK practically giving L710 away on PAYG through Carphone Warehouse (have to be making 0 or worse selling for GBP129). So despite some L900 sales (not going to shift many in Europe/Rest of World in face of SGSIII and now starting to go into new iPhone pending period too) and the Microsoft “Platform Support Payment” errr cough*life-supprt*cough still think they’re going to be wayyy down on Q1 cash reserves.
Sure, its probably down somewhat. But even the (fairly pessimistic) analysts recently said Nokia may burn through its cash in 2 years. So, whether its 5 or 4 billion at this point is neither here or there for the argument that the NW was split into smaller events because of the cost. In fact, organizing several smaller events may not cost that much less than just mobilizing the whole event organization circus only once.
Oh agree that cost wasn’t reason for different conference – if they can’t stick that on the company credit card then it really is light out time.
Based on Q1 2012, that $5B will last 4-6quaters. So Q4 this year to Q2 next year should see the end of that..
Well, if they burn their cash at the current pace in 2 years, they wont get any money in 1,5 years. They need to start paying their suppliers in front and that is not how business is made.
Oh absolutely, did not mean to say the current burn rate is not a huge problem – it obviously is and the big bonds maturing are a HUGE problem they need to be able to finance one way or the other.
That’s gone after this year.
Doubt it. In 2 years perhaps, but doubt – and certainly hope – they would burn through all their cash in just half a year.
Nokia has nothing to sell and they can’t downsize fast enough their company to adjust to very small sales with 99dollar flagship devices.
Are you still a contractor working for Nokia?
Why would I work for dead company. I did leave that burning platform some months ago.
Sadly I still have lot of friends there who haven’t got out yet.
Its all about Microsoft now. Nokia doesn’t have anything new to show, until.. well until Microsoft gives them something to show. Its a sad picture.. we are talking about Nokia after all.
well, we can still hope they are able to show something on Meltemi by then. that would be hugely important.
Think MS is going to have something to say about any lower level OS that isn’t s**t i.e. could in any way pose a threat to them particularly one based on Linux kernel. As much as we keep being told Nokia and Microsoft are interdependent in a very real way Nokia are now dependant on Microsoft for quarter to quarter subsidy-sorry- Platform Support Payment and indeed may well soon (even already) be dependant on Microsoft for trade finance and other loans and subsidies. Microsoft already own the ranch. And there is nothing Nokia can do now to in any way extract themselves from Microsoft if they fire Elop and announce they are moving away from Windows Phone they’ll be in bankruptcy poceedings before they can finish reading the press release.
No we just better wait and see now what Microsoft will permit Nokia to release. “When you sup with the Devil you need to bring a very long spoon”. >7680.2 Km would seem to be indicated.
Sad but there’s an element of truth to that
Legally there is almost certainly no restrictions on Nokia developing its own OS, in particular for the low end (the reverse may/likely is true, i.e. that Nokia may have made a commitment to use WP for a certain number of years). However, there may be other kinds of non-legal pressure/signals from MS of course. But, I would not think they would feel threatened by Meltemi at this point at least, in particular if it really is going to reach as low price points as people seem to assume it will.
sorry, forgot to add in the brackets this “that +++ Nokia explicitly reserved – e.g. through a “for avoidance of doubt” type of clause – the right to use other OSs, although +++”
Meltemi is not moving fast enough and it wont sell as Nokia is too small player now and they can’t get that OS moving forward alone.
They need a lot major players in that project to get it anywhere.
Nokia has only 1 way to keep up going next 5 years and it’s Android+WP.
You may be right that its not moving fast enough. They are still the number two maker of mobiles and perhaps (not sure) the largest in the feature/dumb phone category.. so IF they can get Meltemi of the gates quickly, and IF it provides a superior UX compared to anything else in those price categories, perhaps it has a chance. But, the lure of Android is indeed strong in the upper end of the targeted price bracket in particular.
Was Nokia to start using Android in their lower end MS would probably excert some of that non-legal pressure I mentioned above..
Meltemi will face same path as N9. Nokia only has 1 option to start making money and it’s Android with N9 UI design.
I never understood why Meltemi wasn’t open/collaborative from the start, kind of like a continuation of MeeGo.
I’ve always suspected they wouldn’t have the inertia needed to give it traction by themselves, they need other players on board.
Maybe they’ll come to their senses & they do have a plan to get other vendors interested, but we really needed to have heard about that long ago.
Now that it’s looking like the Oracle case is no longer an issue.
Android is looking a lot less scary for many OEM’s… (aside from the MS tax ofc).
…
I don’t know if I am viewing this the wrong way, but isn’t this basically stating: “Nokia world will feature far less than on previous years, and the date has changed.”
Seems pretty bad.
This is all about window parasite eats Nokia vitality. There is nothing interesting in old crapy windows. So there is no any sense to show nothing. And it is more easy to manage people disappointment when they are divided in smaller groups.
Still I am awaiting for Nokia N9 successor. When it will appear? That event would be a good moment. IMHO. All we know what I am talking about.
Nope.
“When it will appear?”
Never. Get over it.
I kind of think I can see a couple reasons for this.
Disclosure: unsubstantiated wild guess upcoming.
The main overhanging factor is Nokia’s dismal track record with investors, their Credit rating is shot (Credit Default Swaps are pricing a near 50% chance of them failing) hence they will find it hard/impossible (especially in current economic environment) to borrow money even short term trade financing I would think would be very tricky. Resultant in the current woeful level of the shares (new lows again today – great) which make Nokia more or less at the whim of the markets and any takeover rumour and indeed very very dependant on Microsoft even more than they had already made themselves by shackling themselves to their OS.
So against this backdrop I think Nokia are desperately keen to get any morsel of good news, new product etc. out there. However I agree with others that the WP release date may have slipped a bit and this combined with wisely attempting to change to releasing products much closer to announcements (and unlike the now pointless rest-of-world L900 launch) has resulted in them not having anything to show the public at end of Sept which would be catastrophic for their shares and what’s left of their banking covenants if they were just to cancel or postpone this conference.
So they got a bit tricksy and are going to reveal to carriers (hoping/assuming it’ll leak to the markets) what they’re bringing I also agree with whoever it was proposed that it would also enable them to gauge which carriers and markets are interested and what markets they can or should announce at launch to give them a snappier iPhone/Galaxy roll-out. If I’m right I would expect to see an earlier-than-Nokia World briefing for analysts and investors again to act as a placeholder and hold them off being driven into bankruptcy or falling prey to takeover. Wouldn’t stop it but might hold off the big bad wolves from the door for a bit and Nokia are reduced to playing for every week, day, minute they can get a stay of execution for.
Just some (counter)points.
“However I agree with others that the WP release date may have slipped a bit ”
By all rumours WP8 and W8 are ahead of schedule, not behind. Which “others” are you referring to?
“has resulted in them not having anything to show the public at end of Sept”
In 2011 NW was in october, nobody would have blinked an eye at a NW in october 2012, so it would have been very reckless to schedule it for september if they weren’t absolutely sure. Not impossible certainly, but unlikely.
“enable them to gauge which carriers and markets are interested”
Certainly this is not a process measured in a few short weeks, carriers are planning their WP8 device lineup RIGHT NOW.
“big bad wolves from the door for a bit and Nokia are reduced to playing for every week, day, minute they can get a stay of execution for.”
That’s a bit dramatic.
BTW have you seen this http://www.concept-phones.com/nokia/nokia-n9-tablet-runs-meego-basically-larger-nokia-n9/ ? That would be sexy stuff. I give you an idea.
For stakeholders, Nokia will shows the Future OS Meego or Nokia next own OS. So they can make more money.
operator and retail Nokia will show them the WP8 mobiles and show how good Lumias did, bring WP users higher in only few months, which samsung and HTC could not do with WP.
For bloggers the new tech nokia is developing and may be WP8
…and the last one will turn the lights off.
We will live, we will see, we will evaluate.
“EloJabba this is your last chance: free MeeGo or ….” – from StarWars, Luke Skywalker statement about dead platform when standing on burning platform, only a little bit changed. But fits perfectly!!
I am just cynical in wandering if a stuff under cover will follow this instructions: How to Get Your Platform Accepted as a Standard – Microsoft Style, from here http://www.groklaw.net/articlebasic.php?story=20071023002351958 Partnership requires something to be sacrificed, like devoted fans in this number.
And will the Windows be the winner of the celebrations? As above mentioned?
The http://events.nokia.com site certainly went from promising to very “invitation only” boring in the course of this day.
Oh what a difference a day makes.