The New Nokia and Nokia Phones

TheVerge have a very interesting article about where this New NOKIA is heading.

http://www.theverge.com/2014/11/18/7240077/the-new-nokia

With Nokia’s devices segment all over at Microsoft, how are they building the Nokia N1? Well they’re not. Foxconn is (the same place you see iThangs made). However, the hardware was designed by Nokia and the software (Z-Launcher) was written by Nokia. The manufacturing and distribution is by Foxconn. That’s part of the whole licensing of the Nokia brand. BUT Nokia will impose a high bar for quality. As we know, as shown by Reddit, time and time again, Nokia is associated with quality and robustness (the 6.9mm frame makes me wonder about ‘bendgate’ that the new iPhone 6/Plus/Air 2 have).

The device experience in combined software and hardware is unique:

You have to see and hold it in person (and use the Z Launcher sw!) to see that it’s unique. The photos don’t do it justice!

@iamthecosmos900 You have to see and hold it in person (and use the Z Launcher sw!) to see that it's unique. The photos don't do it justice!

— John Kneeland (@SirKneeland) November 18, 2014

The products even though they weren’t manufactured by Nokia will be set to Nokia standards so it will feel like Nokia has built it. This will be the case for every Nokia branded device.

“will look and feel just like Nokia built it.””

Nokia will focus on pushing innovation and licensing their designs and patents. They’ll be creatively concocting products that others can build. Nokia Technology, Chief Ramzi Haidamus said:

  “”We will have a Nokia technology group talking to hundreds of companies putting together market requirements on what is needed in the next phone or TV or tablet, and then we will build it for you and license it out,”

Nokia values and standards stay the same but now it executes things differently. It seems that we may still see Nokia phones built to a high standard with some Nokia technology (awesome cameras would be great. Nokia owns PureView tech though Microsoft have the name and are now continuing to improve upon it). Nokia devices, designed by Nokia, licensed Nokia brand, built by someone else.

The Nokia brand as Nokia pointed out is valuable.  The excitement around the blogosphere and around the world is absolute testament to the fact that everyone stills pays attention to Nokia.

Devices are what Nokia is most known for and for there to be no Nokia devices (even though Lumia is essentially Nokia) weakens this brand. We know many of the awesome Nokia peeps that shaped those Nokia devices are now at Microsoft and that’s why, despite no Nokia name, we look forward to Nokia devices created with Nokia spirit, passion and values. But real NOKIA can still impose those values in these new Nokia branded devices too. Especially since there were still Nokia peeps left who had worked on other popular Nokia projects in the past.

As pointed out by this comment at TheVerge, it’s a quick way to get a device out there with a lot of risk on Foxconn rather than Nokia. The unoriginal design comment is in reference to the article. Obviously as everyone points out, it does strongly resemble iPad Mini. Nokia’s product chief, Sebastien Nystrom said:

when you make a product like this, where the form factor is a relatively large display, many products look alike…there’s only so many ways you can make this product…we are not copying anyone, we are creating our design

The tablet’s design is said to compliment the natural Z-launcher interface.

Cheers Alex and Alvester for the tip!

Category: Nokia