Nokia will adopt Windows Mobile as its main smartphone platform in a wide-ranging agreement with Microsoft. Today two companies announced plans for a broad strategic partnership that combines the respective strengths of our companies and builds a new global mobile ecosystem. Nokia will adopt Windows Phone as its primary smartphone strategy, innovating on top of the platform in areas such as imaging, where Nokia is a market leader. Nokia and Microsoft will closely collaborate on development, joint marketing initiatives and a shared development roadmap to align on the future evolution of mobile products.
What Microsoft has on mobile sector now is Windows Phone 7. It is the successor to Windows Mobile platform. Microsoft unveiled Windows Phone 7 on February 15, 2010, at Mobile World Congress 2010 in Barcelona. Windows Phone 7 is a new platform, and older Windows Mobile applications do not run on it. Windows Phone 7 features a version of Internet Explorer Mobile with a rendering engine that is “halfway between IE7 and IE8“. Silverlight (.NET code with XAM) is the application development platform for Windows Phone 7, but also Microsoft XNA is supported. Development tools are Visual Studio ja Expression Blend. Windows Phone 7 so far hasn’t been a major hit with the application-development community.
I would have liked to see something released on Meego instead of this, but I must admit that tt was somewhat expected that this could happen when you you get a new CEO from Microsoft. Now it seems that the stock price has fallen considerably this day: European stock markets turned lower Friday, with mobile-phone giant Nokia Corp. shedding nearly 10% after it agreed to a partnership with Microsoft. Let’s see what happens in the near future and how Microsoft stock reacts to this.
It takes quite a bit of time until the first phones using this new OS will come to market and how markets react to this. Vic Gundotra from Google already commented “Two turkeys do not make an Eagle” before the announcement. I think this was a better deal for Microsoft than for Nokia. Let’s see how well those turkeys are baked on the next Thanksgiving Day.
The new Nokia strategy: MeeGo will open-source mobile operating system project for future devices and Nokia’s Symbian will continue working on behalf of the platform. Symbian and MeeGo not dead, still shipping this year says another source.
But what will be the future of Qt? Just few months ago Nokia announced focus on Qt framework and support for HTML5. Qt applications do not work on Windows Phone and press release does not mention anything on Qt applications on Windows phones.
Letter to Developers about Today’s News tells that Qt will continue to be the development framework for Symbian and Nokia will use Symbian for further devices, and also on first MeeGo-related open source device (planned to ship later this year). There seems to be no Qt for Windows Phone development: In other words, Qt will not be adapted for Windows Phone 7 APIs. Microsoft would provide tools for application developers for Nokia Windows Phones. Developers already think this is a Microsoft sabotage on developers.
Was this Microsoft deal a good move or not is hard to say yet. I fear the worst. Some time ago Nokia’s outgoing head of smartphones Anssi Vanjoki Using Android like ‘peeing in your pants for warmth in winter’: Temporary relief is followed by an even worse predicament. Would using Windows Phone be like getting something else on your pants for temporary warmth?
This is a very dark day for Finnish software industry: Nokia to cut thousands of jobs in Finland. Pretty many developers in Finland will be pretty pissed off on all this…
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Tomi Engdahl says:
Nokia “Suspends” Its Free Developer Program
http://tech.slashdot.org/story/12/11/06/0128255/nokia-suspends-its-free-developer-program
“Nokia has put in deep freeze its free developer program, the launchpad”
“not currently accepting new applications for Nokia Developer Launchpad and Nokia Developer Pro programs.”
Tomi says:
The pressure is enough: Nokia is squeezed to death between large and small manufacturers?
In addition to Nokia’s mid-sized manufacturers in trouble include at least RIM, HTC, LG and Sony.
Source: http://www.tietoviikko.fi/kaikki_uutiset/painetta+riittaa+puristuuko+nokia+hengilta+suurten+ja+pienten+valmistajien+valissa/a854256?s=r&wtm=tietoviikko/-07112012&
Tomi Engdahl says:
Graph how Samsung passed Nokia in few years can be found in article at
http://www.itviikko.fi/uutiset/2012/11/08/grafiikka-nain-samsung-ohitti-nokian/201241600/7?rss=8
Tomi Engdahl says:
20 years of GSM digital mobile phones
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/11/09/20_years_of_gsm_digital_phones/
Twenty years ago today, on 9 November 1992, Nokia launched the world’s first commercially available GSM digital mobile phone – the Nokia 1011 – strengthening consumer interest in the world of mobile connectivity. The candybar device – which weighed a whopping 475g and could sustain a conversation for no more than 90 minutes – also introduced text messaging, viewable on the handset’s two-line display.
Tomi says:
It seems that Nokia got a good start in China:
Lumia 920 smartphone for the Chinese market-targeted version of the 920T’s sales in China began in frantic signs, says WMPoweruser site.
Phone was the Amazon of China-store pre-sale yesterday, and within half an hour after the site announced that the phone is sold out.
The actual phone shipping in China will start after Christmas.
Source: http://www.kauppalehti.fi/etusivu/lumialla+hurja+tahti+kiinassa+loppui+hetkessa/201211302237
Tomi says:
Nokia Lumia 920T goes on sale on Amazon China, sells out in 30 min
http://wmpoweruser.com/nokia-lumia-920t-goes-on-sale-on-amazon-china-sells-out-in-30-min/
The Chinese version of the Nokia Lumia 920, the Nokia Lumia 920T
Given the low price it is no surprise really that from the listing being discovered only 30 minutes passed before the out of stock sign went up.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Nokia redefines digital map landscape by introducing HERE as new brand for its location and mapping service
http://press.nokia.com/2012/11/13/nokia-redefines-digital-map-landscape-by-introducing-here-as-new-brand-for-its-location-and-mapping-service/
Nokia announces new partnership with Mozilla and planned acquisition of 3D capture company, earthmine
“People want great maps, and with HERE we can bring together Nokia’s location offering to deliver people a better way to explore, discover and share their world,” said Nokia President and CEO Stephen Elop. “Additionally, with HERE we can extend our 20 years of location expertise to new devices and operating systems that reach beyond Nokia. As a result, we believe that more people benefit from and contribute to our leading mapping and location service.”
To further extend its location services, Nokia is launching a maps application for iOS under the HERE brand. Based on HTML5, it will include offline capabilities, voice-guided walk navigation, and public transport directions. The application is scheduled to be available for free download from Apple’s App Store in the coming weeks.
Nokia further announced a strategic partnership with Mozilla to bring new location experiences to the Firefox OS. Nokia plans to debut a mobile Web version of HERE Maps for the new Firefox OS next year. The companies are working together to give people the best mapping experience on Firefox OS.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Hands on with Nokia’s HERE, a cross-platform mapping tool that takes on Microsoft, Google, and Apple
http://thenextweb.com/apps/2012/11/13/hands-on-with-nokias-here-a-cross-platform-mapping-tool-that-takes-on-microsoft-google-and-apple/
Welcome to the mapping wars, it would seem. As Microsoft burnishes Bing, Google cements its market advantage with its own tool, Apple works to right its own ship, Nokia is diving into the ring, taking its maps product everywhere all at once through a new effort called HERE.
Tomi Engdahl says:
What if you forget the Nokia?
It was the Company as it may, the Finnish economy and, above all, the ICT sector, it is no longer capable of flicking their whims by. This is good.
I could even argue that in the long run Nokia-end of the hegemony of the more good than harm. Even now, there is concrete evidence of how ICT entrepreneurship in Finland to raise his head, and is kind of like waking up to some kind of Nokia sleep..
Source: http://www.tietoviikko.fi/blogit/uutiskommentti/mitas+jos+unohtaisimme+nokian/a856043?s=r&wtm=tietoviikko/-14112012&
Tomi Engdahl says:
Mobile phone sales slump bites Nokia
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/11/14/phone_sales_slump_bites_nokia/
Nokia may have plunged down the chart of best-selling smartphone makers, but at least it can console itself with the knowledge that it’s still up toward the top of the broader mobile phone supplier table.
According to market watcher Gartner, Nokia is merely the world’s second most successful phone seller, at least during the three months to the end of September, behind Samsung. Apple, which only makes smartphones, is in third place.
Overall, shipments were down 3.1 per cent to 428 million units, a further decline after two past quarters’ worth of falls, though demand was up, Gartner said. Smartphone sales accounted for 39.6 per cent of total mobile phone sales, driven by a 46.9 per cent increase in shipments year on year.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Nokia: We’ve Stooped In Smartphones To Conquer In Windows Phone 8 — “We Will Innovate, Out-Maneuver, Outsell Everyone”
http://techcrunch.com/2012/11/14/nokia-weve-stooped-in-smartphones-to-conquer-with-windows-phone-8-we-will-innovate-outmanoeuvre-outsell-everyone/
Nokia is running ads in Europe for its new Windows Phone 8 devices, the Lumia 920 and 820, emblazoned with the legend ‘everyone loves a comeback’. You can’t accuse the once mighty king of mobile of not having a sense of humour about its current lowly position in the smartphone rankings — more also-ran than undisputed champion.
The 800lb gorilla in the room is of course Google’s Android OS — which owned a full three-quarters (75%) of the global market in Q3, according to IDC estimates — versus a fractional 2% for Windows Phone (plus Microsoft’s older Windows Mobile OS combined). That figure incorporates all OEMs using Windows Phone, not just Nokia
“And what we will do, what we will continue to drive is bringing these points of differentiation, be it on design, be it on imagining, and be it on navigation — so I suppose it’s a matter of ‘watch this space’. We will innovate, and out-maneuver, and outsell everyone, not just our competition, within the ecosystem because that’s what’s truly going to drive this ecosystem
Tomi Engdahl says:
Device Stats: Surface and Nokia dominate
http://blog.adduplex.com/2012/11/device-stats-surface-and-nokia-dominate.html
The most popular model, quite surprisingly, but probably logically, is Lumia 710. Another interesting fact is that out of the top-10 only 2 devices are WP7 launch devices (HD7 and Focus). That Nokia RM-820_nam_att_100 is actually a Lumia 920 and there are lots of them in our logs with different suffixes.
You can guess from the chart above that Nokia rules in the manufacturer standings
And finally, lets see how much market share did Windows Phone 8 get in those few weeks since its release
Tomi Engdahl says:
Nokia sought help from a startup doctrines
The boundaries are bust, the experts’ opinions and the courage to fail out – a large company could learn from Startup. Nokia challenger attitude has given further impetus
Mobile phone company Nokia has sought help in a difficult market for startup companies doctrines. Organization’s internal boundaries are dissolved and contacts added.
Nokia’s head of design Marko Ahtisaari says the company has emphasized the importance of attitude, the challenger, the company revised its strategy in February 2011.
“Each of us must take our work attitude challenger, market-leading grip instead. A new attitude had an impact on the fact that we were able to bring the first Lumia devices on the market in record time, “Ahtisaari said.
According to Vesterbacka companies should have more courage to question the fact that “the way it has always done in the past.”
Source: http://www.3t.fi/artikkeli/uutiset/tyoelama/nokia_haki_apua_startup_opeista
Tomi Engdahl says:
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer Talks Turkey in Silicon Valley
http://allthingsd.com/20121114/live-microsoft-ceo-steve-ballmer-talks-turkey-in-silicon-valley/
7:43 pm: Ballmer acknowledges that Microsoft still has some more work to do in the “under five inches” category — a reference to the phone area.
Ballmer on competing with its longtime hardware-maker partners.
Do I anticipate partners of ours will build the lion’s share of PCs tablets and phones going forward? Ballmer asked rhetorically.
“The answer is, absolutely. … With that said, it is absolutely clear there is an innovation opportunity on the seam [of the intersection] between software and hardware.”
“That is a seam that must not go unexploited by Microsoft,” Ballmer said. “We’re not going to cede that to the competition. In Xbox, we got a lot of that right.”
So how do you manage that balance? Hoffman asks.
“Carefully,” Ballmer said, before expanding some.
Ballmer noted that the company handles things a little differently when it comes to Xbox, Windows Phone and the PC side of things.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Windows Phone 8 users report random reboots and battery issues
http://www.theverge.com/2012/11/18/3660974/htc-8x-lumia-920-reboot-freezing-battery-issues
Windows Phone 8 devices have been available since the beginning of the month and users are starting to report early issues across HTC and Nokia handsets.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Nokia Here collection vehicle hands-on (video)
http://www.engadget.com/2012/11/19/nokia-here-collection-vehicle-hands-on-video/
a brief tour of the Nokia Here collection vehicle, a bright blue Volkswagen Jetta Wagon specially outfitted with a smorgasbord of sensors.
mast features a military-grade GPS antenna, a 360-degree panorama camera in a white pod (which captures the spherical views you’ll see in Nokia Here), a Velodyne LIDAR unit in a spinning silver cylinder (for 3D mapping), high-resolution signage cameras in a black box (for forwards and backward automatic feature extraction) and finally a wheel encoder to measure distance / velocity.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Windows Phone Developer Toolkit updated for Windows Phone 8
http://wmpoweruser.com/windows-phone-developer-toolkit-updated-for-windows-phone-8/
Microsoft has announced the release of the Windows Phone 8 version of the Windows Phone Toolkit.
The Windows Phone Toolkit provide an additional package of controls that developers can use with the Windows Phone SDK to easily add useful controls to your Windows Phone app.
The package contains the Windows Phone 7 and Windows Phone 8 toolkits in a single package
Tomi Engdahl says:
Two Phones Dazzle, and Yet …
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/22/technology/personaltech/nokia-lumia-920-and-htc-windows-phone-8x-are-great-and-yet.html?pagewanted=all&_r=1&
In the tech world, some companies do their most innovative work when their backs are against the wall — especially Microsoft. Last month, it took the wraps off Windows Phone 8
Unfortunately, as a Microsoft product manager told me understatedly, “We have an awareness problem.” Translation: Nobody is buying Windows phones. And since nobody’s buying them, nobody’s writing apps for them. And since nobody’s writing apps — well, you can see where this is going.
Still, Microsoft isn’t giving up. This month, Windows Phone 8 arrives aboard two fascinating new phones: the Nokia Lumia 920 ($100 with a new AT&T contract) and the HTC Windows Phone 8X ($200 from AT&T, Verizon or T-Mobile).
It’s funny about Nokia and HTC; they, too, are fallen giants.
How intriguing, then, that HTC and Nokia have each chosen Microsoft as its savior, and vice versa. Loser + loser = winner?
Yes, actually. The two new phones have a lot in common — for one thing, they’re both awesome. For another, both have bigger, sharper screens than the iPhone’s famous Retina screen. (The HTC and Nokia phones have 4.3- and 4.5-inch screens. That’s 1,280 by 720 pixels, packed in 341 and 332 to the inch.)
Microsoft has seen this movie before. It enters the marketplace years after Apple has already taken the lead (see also: Zune), and despite doing excellent work, never manages to build an ecosystem fast enough to close the lead.
As great as it is, the Windows Phone world will let you down in two huge ways.
First, speech.
Second, apps.
Microsoft and its partners are teetering on the edge. Excellence has been attained; now it’s up to market forces. If the wind blows one way, they’ll rack up a few percentage points of market share (now at 4 percent). If it blows the other way, though, Windows Phone will fade away.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Report: Nokia Received Over 2.5 Million Units Of Order For Lumia 920
http://wmpoweruser.com/report-nokia-received-over-2-5-million-units-of-orders-for-lumia-920/
According to a Chinese news site, Nokia has got an order of about 2.5 million units of Nokia Lumia 920 which is impressive.
This device was launched just 20 days back and if the 2.5 million order number is true, Nokia has got a real winner in its lineup.
Can Nokia sell 2.5 million units of Lumia 920 this quarter?
Tomi Engdahl says:
Nokia’s important camera guru switched to a car manufacturer
Camera technology is Nokia’s main selling points for the smartphone market. The company is a great loss when the camera long driven the development of Damian Dinning leave the company. He moves suddenly, a car manufacturer Jaguar Land Rover. Dinning is completed by two simple reasons.
Damian Dinning came to Nokia in 2004. He brought a Nokia camera-important field of expertise. Dinning had previously worked with such as Minolta and Eastman Kodak.
Dinning, Nokia has developed an excellent camera unit. In recent breakthroughs such as PureView camera that brought the smartphone up to 41-megapixel image sensor.
Damian Dinning says PureViewClub-release , that he would not have wanted to leave Nokia. Reason for this situation is the fact that Nokia will focus on the key personnel to the company’s head office in Finland. Dinning says that his family situation at the moment does not allow it.
He says that in addition to photography from an early age he has had another great interest: cars. So he takes the opportunity to work in this area.
Source: http://www.tietokone.fi/uutiset/nokian_tarkea_kameraguru_vaihtoi_autovalmistajalle
Exclusive: Damian Dinning to be joining…
http://pureviewclub.com/2012/7882
After today’s story on Damian Dinning, I am extremely honored he sent me his exclusive response to his decision to leave Nokia.
Following the news of my forthcoming departure from Nokia I wanted to say a few words:
Firstly, wow! Huge thanks for the incredibly kind words of support and well wishes. I have been so touched by all of your messages.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Has Nokia finally produced a Windows phone that sells well?:
DNA Lumia 920 sales “really fierce”
Lumia 920 phone sales promising signs of being heard both in Finland and in the world. The phone has been sold out around the world. Finland says DNA computer magazine that Lumia 920 phone the first demand is unique, at least in Nokia’s history of the last ten years.
“Everything that comes, I bid immediately,” DNA Store Ltd, Managing Director Sami Aavikko tells to Tietokone Computer magazine.
Lumia 920 phone sales promising signs of being heard by the rest of the world. For example, Yahoo’s news service in China says that Nokia’s Lumia sales have seen a furious growth. According to the news service Lumia 920 model has been obtained during the 20-day sold about 2.5 million copies around the world.
Reading is of course smaller than, for example Apple’s iPhone or Samsung Galaxy S III phones tens of millions of sales volumes. However, bear in mind that Nokia had sold in the previous quarter, only 2.9 million Lumia phone. Now rises to a higher sales for about three weeks, if Yahoo’s information is correct.
Source: http://www.tietokone.fi/uutiset/dna_lumia_920_myynti_todella_rajua
Tomi Engdahl says:
‘Microsoft to make its own Surface phones’ – mutterings
Source of rumours predicted 5 of the last 2 surprises
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/11/28/microsoft_phone/
Microsoft has, apparently, signed up with iPhone manufacturer Foxconn to build its own handset next year, extending the Surface brand into mobile telephony.
The rumour comes from Digitimes, and tells us that “upstream suppliers” claim to be supplying parts for a new phone from Amazon too, which should make 2013 an interesting year for hardware if not the platforms on which it runs.
It would be remarkable for Microsoft to launch its own phone, given the job Nokia is doing as Redmond’s hardware arm.
Microsoft launched Surface (the tablet, not the table) because manufacturers were being too conservative in their designs, but Nokia’s Lumia range is innovative and if Windows Phone fails it won’t be down to lack of hardware.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Latest Lumia Smartphone: High Quality, but It’s Heavy
http://allthingsd.com/20121127/latest-lumia-smartphone-high-quality-but-its-heavy/
Both Nokia and Microsoft were once titans in the smartphone world, but the pair have struggled to find favor with consumers, carriers and developers in the iPhone-Android era. Now, the two companies, which have become close partners, hope they’ve finally found the formula for success. The product on which their hopes rest is Nokia’s new flagship smartphone, the Lumia 920, running Microsoft’s revamped operating system, Windows Phone 8.
I’ve been testing the Lumia 920 and consider it a handsome, high-quality phone with attractive features that worked well for me. Not only that, but it costs half of what most other top-of-the-line smartphones set you back, and yet gives you twice the typical memory. It is greatly improved from the first flagship Lumia, last spring’s Lumia 900.
But the Lumia 920 has two big drawbacks: It is heavy and thick, and, like all Windows Phones, it has a much smaller app selection than the iPhone or Android phones.
And it can be charged without plugging in a cable, by merely placing it on a charging plate that plugs into the wall.
While I didn’t do a formal battery test, this Nokia lasted me through a day of mixed use. Voice calls were reliable and clear, and the phone’s speakers sounded great. Photos and videos looked very good.
In my tests, the LTE speeds were very good, averaging 17 megabits per second downstream. But AT&T’s LTE network is only in about 100 cities.
However, the Lumia 920 has a few characteristics that may turn off potential buyers. The biggest downside is its sheer size. This may be the heaviest modern smartphone I’ve tested, and it’s one of the thickest.
To give you an idea, it’s 65 percent heavier than Apple’s iPhone 5, and 40 percent thicker.
The second major downside is app selection on the Windows Phone platform.
Voice recognition is a weak point on the Lumia 920. Its ability to answer spoken questions and commands lagged far behind Apple’s and Google’s in my tests. And its dictation capability for things like email and texts was atrocious, never coming close to accurate.
All in all, though, the Nokia Lumia 920 is worth considering, if you can live with a heavy device — especially given its combination of low price and strong features.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Lumia 920′s shelves empty – due to the popularity or low supply?
Nokia’s new Lumia 920 phones, phones are out of many shops in the United States, writes Financial Times . The New York Times interviewed analysts’ estimates that the availability of the problem may be due to either a high-or underestimated the popularity of the supply.
Analysts are divided on this issue.
Nokia itself has not commented on the causes of availability problems.
Source: http://www.3t.fi/artikkeli/uutiset/talous/lumia_920_n_hyllyt_tyhjina_syyna_suosio_vai_vahainen_tarjonta
Tomi Engdahl says:
Nokia will sell its headquarters in Espoo to a Finnish real estate investor Exilion for 170 million Euros.
Nokia will stay in the head office with a long lease agreement.
The transaction is expected to be completed by the end of this year.
Source: http://www.iltalehti.fi/talous/2012120416409642_ta.shtml
Tomi Engdahl says:
Nokia’s 2013 orders to Taiwan ODM makers expected to focus on Windows Phone 7.5
http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20121203PD223.html
Although Nokia has launched Windows Phone 8 smartphones, it is difficult for such smartphones to be available in entry- to mid-range market segments because of high hardware standards and licensing charges required for the platform, the supply chain makers pointed out.
Windows Phone 7.5, as a platform in transition to Windows Phone 8, may not have potential for continued development, the supply chain makers indicated.
Therefore, Nokia is likely to select a platform alternative to Windows Phone 7.5 for inexpensive handsets targeted to emerging markets, and Android seems to be a feasible choice, the supply chain makers pointed out.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Nokia Unveils Latest Windows Phone 8 Device: Lumia 620 Packs 3.8 Inch ClearBlack Display, NFC, Costs $249 (Before Taxes)
http://techcrunch.com/2012/12/05/nokia-unveils-latest-windows-phone-8-device-lumia-620-packs-3-8-inch-clearblack-display-nfc-costs-249-before-taxes/
The phone is smaller (and cheaper) than other Windows Phone 8 Lumia devices — with a 3.8 inch screen, 1GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor and Nokia’s ClearBlack display to improve the viewing experience outdoors in bright sunlight.
The more compact form factor of the Lumia 620, means Nokia has opted for a “softer, rounder” form factor than for its other two — larger — Windows Phone 8 devices: the Lumia 920 and 820, noted Ahtisaari.
Tomi Engdahl says:
What’s new in Internet Explorer 10 for Windows Phone
http://blogs.windows.com/windows_phone/b/windowsphone/archive/2012/12/07/what-s-new-in-internet-explorer-10-for-windows-phone.aspx
Hello again Windows Phone fans! It’s been a while since I shared some of the thinking behind the redesign of Internet Explorer in our previous release. Today, I’ll take you on a behind-the-scenes tour of our brand new browser for Windows Phone 8.
Web Site says:
Greetings! Very helpful advice within this article! It is the little changes that will make the most significant changes. Thanks for sharing!
Tomi Engdahl says:
Nokia’s Asha a huge hit: Rivals say wrong in positioning touch phone series as a smartphone
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/hardware/nokias-asha-a-huge-hit-rivals-say-wrong-in-positioning-touch-phone-series-as-a-smartphone/articleshow/17578056.cms
NEW DELHI: Nokia is making some noise in India’s booming smartphone market with its Asha series, but most of its rivals and some experts say the Finnish major is wrong in positioning the touch phone series as smartphones.
“Somebody trying to pass on smart feature phones as smartphones to consumers is incorrect,” Deepak Mehrotra, CEO of the country’s leading domestic handset maker Micromax, says. “We too have many handsets that have smartphone-like qualities, but we still call them feature phone and not low-end smartphone,” he says.
A Nokia spokesperson, however, says marketer researchers GfK and IDC classified Asha touch devices as full smartphones in their third quarter reports.
SO WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?
Smartphones work on a full-blown operating system such as Windows or Android, while in feature phones such as Asha series the development technology is limited to Java software and web apps, says Jessica Kwee, research analyst at Canalys, a global market research firm that tracks only smartphones. “We still count Asha series as feature phones,” she says.
What does that mean to a user? Well, the apps you can download only Java apps on your Asha, and can’t access, say, Android or iPhone apps. That’s more or less about it.
Deepak Kumar, a former analyst at IDC, says, “In fact, it won’t be functionally incorrect to call the Asha touch phones as smartphones, even if they may not be termed so technically.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
Nokia Lumia sales reportedly nowhere near as strong as rumors suggest
http://bgr.com/2012/12/12/nokia-lumia-sales-q4-2012-pac-crest/
At a time when Nokia (NOK) needs a solid quarter to prove to investors that it can stage a comeback, a new analysis suggests Lumia sales in the fourth quarter are shaping up to fall well short of the relatively lofty numbers being tossed around in recent reports. Pacific Crest’s James Faucette tossed some cold water on Lumia sales expectations on Wednesday, stating in a note to investors that the recent spike in Nokia’s stock was driven by some overly optimistic reports. The analyst believes demand for phones like the flagship Lumia 920 is healthy, but he thinks low shipment volumes pose a serious problem for Nokia.
“We believe that the recent rise in the stock may have been driven by what we would characterize as an overly optimistic interpretation of initial Lumia sales commentary,”
Faucette estimates that Nokia will ship about 1 million new Windows Phone 8 handsets in the fourth quarter this year, but only about 500,000 units are likely to be sold to end users based on his observations.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Will Nokia’s comeback succeed?
There is at the moment a little more enthusiasm running around Lumia 920′s than any Nokia phone model after Symbian based N95.
It is, of course, another question whether this buzz ultimately turns into sales.
If Nokia is making a comeback to Windows Phone based smart phones, no later than 18/04/2013 clear figures should show it. Mark that date on calendar because then Nokia says the 2013 first-quarter results.
Source: http://www.tietoviikko.fi/blogit/uutiskommentti/onnistuuko+nokian+comeback/a863779?s=r&wtm=tietoviikko/-13122012&
Tomi Engdahl says:
Google drops a Gmail-shaped bomb on Windows Phone
The ecosystem battle continues
http://www.theverge.com/2012/12/14/3768274/google-gmail-activesync-windows-phone
For Windows Phone users, the news out of Google today couldn’t be much worse.
The company announced it’s removing support for Microsoft’s Exchange ActiveSync protocol for new devices from January 30th, 2013.
new devices will not be able to use the Exchange ActiveSync protocol with Gmail. It’s a big blow to Windows Phone and part of a bigger feud between the companies over the past few months.
For iOS, Google’s email solution is IMAP support and a dedicated Gmail app, CalDAV for calendar, and CardDAV for contacts. Apple and Google both support CalDAV and CardDAV natively, but Microsoft has chosen not to support either standard in Windows Phone 8… yet. This leaves Windows Phone users in a tricky position: at present, they’re offered two choices to set up a Google account. You can pick between email only or a combination of email, calendar, and contacts. The email-only option will set up an IMAP connection to Gmail which won’t support push — it’ll sync every 15 minutes at best.
Google is not providing a Gmail app for Windows Phone users, and the company recently revealed it has “no plans to build out Windows apps” beyond a search app available on Windows 8 and Windows Phone. “We are very careful about where we invest and will go where the users are but they are not on Windows Phone or Windows 8,” says Google Apps product management director Clay Bavor.
It’s a tricky situation for Microsoft and one that the company should have predicted.
Just another part of the Microsoft vs. Google war
Tomi Engdahl says:
HTC Said to Halt Larger Windows Phone on Display Resolution
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-12-17/htc-said-to-halt-larger-windows-smartphone-on-display-resolution.html
HTC Corp. (2498) scrapped plans to produce a large-screen smartphone using Microsoft Corp. (MSFT)’s operating system because the screen would have had lower resolution than competing models, according to a person familiar with the project.
The Windows software doesn’t support resolutions as high as that on Google Inc. (GOOG)’s Android platform, said the person, who asked not to be identified because the information isn’t public.
Windows Phone 8, released in October, supports screen resolution of 720 horizontal lines, lower than the 1,080 lines in displays available on Android phones and tablets. Microsoft also limits which processors can be used with manufacturers’ devices.
HTC concluded that a larger-screen Windows Phone 8 phone wouldn’t be competitive against Android devices from HTC, Samsung and others, the person said.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Punters rate Apple, Samsung more highly than ever
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/12/13/consumers_rate_samsung_and_apple_says_brand_survey/
Are we all becoming fanboys? If you broaden the term beyond those who favour Apple products to encompass folk keen on Samsung kit, the answer appears to be yes.
At least that’s what data from Strategy Analytics, a market watcher, suggests.
“These survey findings suggest that the 12-month outlook for both Samsung and Apple remains rosy,”
Nokia fell by more than four points, as did Motorola.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Last week, Google made two unfortunate tricks for Nokia.
First, Google released its own mapping system from Apple iOS devices. Nokia hurried November Nokia’s own mapping system to Apple’s software store, hoping to get as many Apple device users to use it’s map program.
Last week, however, Google completed a map of your program and brought it to an Apple device users available. Google map program is generally preferred over Nokia.
In the end of the week Google made another nasty trick to Nokia and all the Windows Phone operating system phones users: As part of the “winter cleaning” Google told to eliminate ExchangeSync Active support for the Gmail e-mail service. What does this mean? It means that the new Windows Phone phones are no longer after the end of january get constant push of Gmail messages in Windows Phone (update only every 15 minutes).
The Verge comment: Google “dropped a bomb in the shape of Gmail on Windows Phone.”
Microsoft has over a month to develop Gmail users a solution to the issue, but it’s not easy.
For many consumers it is a big problem that many of Google’s services work so badly Windows Phone devices compared to Android or iOS.
Source: http://m.tietoviikko.fi/Uutiset/Nokia+sai+kahdesti+korvilleen
Tomi Engdahl says:
Microsoft left ‘surprised’ by Google’s Exchange ActiveSync announcement
http://www.theverge.com/2012/12/17/3776870/microsoft-surprised-by-google-exchange-activesync-announcement
Google announced last week that it plans to drop Exchange ActiveSync support for new devices on personal Gmail accounts from January 30th. While Microsoft has remained quiet on the issue affecting Windows 8, Windows RT, and Windows Phone Gmail setup, the software maker has now responded to Google’s announcement in a blog post. Microsoft’s Dharmesh Mehta admits that the company was “very surprised” by Google’s announcement, indicating that Microsoft does not have immediate steps in place to address potential access problems in the Windows 8-style Mail client and Windows Phone.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Nokia to resume development of 10-inch Windows RT tablet, say Taiwan makers
http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20121218PD211.html
Nokia has talked about cooperation with Microsoft, Qualcomm and Compal Electronics to resume development of a 10-inch Windows RT tablet, and is likely to unveil the model at the 2013 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, during February 25-28, according to Taiwan-based supply chain makers.
Nokia originally planned to develop a 10-inch Windows RT tablet equipped with Qualcomm’s S4 processor in first-quarter 2012, with Compal to undertake ODM production
Tomi Engdahl says:
Samsung Displaces Nokia as Top Cellphone Brand in 2012 and Takes Decisive Smartphone Lead Over Apple
http://www.isuppli.com/Mobile-and-Wireless-Communications/News/Pages/Samsung-Displaces-Nokia-as-Top-CellphoneBrand-in-2012-and-Takes-Decisive-Smartphone-Lead-Over-Apple.aspx
Tomi Engdahl says:
News of Nokia’s flagship phone Lumia 920′s sales are, however, in recent weeks has been positive. The end of the phone sales and good demand is in the news every week.
A major Chinese Internet portal Sohun by Chinese contractors will tell you that the Lumia 920′s production rate would be only 20 000 per day, or phone 600 000 phones a month. This would mean that the amount per quarter would be a paltry 1.8 million copies. If the information is correct, all the speeches Lumia models of the fourth quarter, more than four million copies, the sale is unlikely to be true.
Kuittinen points out that the leaked information from subcontractors must be treated with caution. But now he too heard the rumors says that evoke concern Lumian relationship.
“Nokia is not able to predict the sales of the phone”
While the Lumia 920 was widely sold in Europe in late November, its availability in Europe really started to improve in the last week of December 14 of the month, Kuittinen writes. For example, in Russia and in France, the phone supplies are still quite modest, while the United Kingdom and Germany have phones sold quite well.
“It’s hard to believe that Nokia would never intentionally wrong and brought down five weeks before Christmas, sales of the flagship phone, the manufacturing capacity would be only 600 000 phones per month,” he puts it.
Source: http://www.kauppalehti.fi/etusivu/nokian+uusi+paansarky+lumian+tuotanto+ongelmissa/201212326661?rdrf=1&request_ahaa_info=true
Tomi Engdahl says:
Microsoft Says Google Trying To Undermine Windows Phone
http://tech.slashdot.org/story/13/01/03/0358238/microsoft-says-google-trying-to-undermine-windows-phone
“In a bit of delicious irony, Microsoft laments Google is not playing fair by excluding access to meta-data on YouTube, preventing the development of the kind of powerful app readily available on Android.”
“YouTube apps on the Android and Apple platforms were two of the most downloaded mobile applications in 2012, according to recent news reports,”
Tomi Engdahl says:
January 03, 2013
Picture Tells it Better – first in series of Nokia Strategy Analysis diagrams, how Nokia smartphone sales collapsed
http://communities-dominate.blogs.com/brands/2013/01/picture-tells-it-better-first-in-series-of-nokia-strategy-analysis-diagrams-how-nokia-smartphone-sal.html
Lets start with the obvious. How did Nokia’s strong smartphone unit sales growth turn suddenly, instantly, into a suicidal collapse? This is how it happened
NOKIA ANNUAL SMARTPHONE SALES BEFORE AND AFTER ELOP EFFECT
Year 2009 . . . . 68 million smartphones
Year 2010 . . . 103 million smartphones
Year 2011 . . . . 77 million smartphones
Year 2012 . . . . 35 million smartphones
(Year 2013 . . . . 25 million smartphones, TomiAhonen Estimate)
Nokia smartphone sales grew 53% from 2009 to 2010, until they turned instantly into catastrophic decline. From its peak sales in Q4 of 2010 when Nokia sold 29 million smartphones, exactly 12 months later that was down to 14 million per quarter – a fall of half, and now for Q4 of 2012 we expect sales at the level of about 7 million (my forecast is 6.8 million) which is again a collapse of half in just 12 months. Never in the history of mobile phone handsets, has any leading brand fallen this fast, not Siemens, not Palm, not Motorola. This is a world record collapse of a market leader. Bear in mind, while this happened, the global smarpthone market grew by 50% in 2011 and 40% in 2012. Nokia was the only major smartphone maker to actually see decline in unit sales while the industry grew so strongly over the past two years.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Microsoft: Google Is (Still) Blocking Us From Building YouTube for Windows Phone
http://allthingsd.com/20130102/microsoft-google-is-still-blocking-us-from-building-youtube-for-windows-phone/
Microsoft today said that Google executives have blocked a full-featured YouTube app for Windows Phone, via a blog post from one of its chief lawyers.
What’s odd about Microsoft’s claims is that there is already a full YouTube app for another Microsoft product: Xbox. That was released this past August, and was touted by Google and YouTube PR.
Perhaps Windows Phone’s tiny market share may not be enough to make it a priority — though Microsoft is well aware of that problem, and has previously built its own Twitter and Facebook apps.
Tomi Engdahl says:
English version: After the story of Nokia MeeGo (part 2)
http://taskumuro.com/artikkelit/nokia-meegon-tarinan-jalkeen-osa-2,1
Mobile trends and predictions for 2013 « Tomi Engdahl’s ePanorama blog says:
[...] Samsung is currently the world’s leading seller of phones and televisions. Those leaders should be careful because competition is getting harder all the time. Samsung boss has given warning on this to employees. Remember what what happened to Nokia. [...]
Tomi Engdahl says:
Analysis of the company Inderes estimates Nokia’s Lumia sales to be too small at the moment, so it would be able to make a profitable business the smart phone market during the bloody contest.
“Our expectations for Nokia’s Q4 report and early prospects are cautious. Estimate that the company which supplied four million Lumia phones in Q4, but sales have been focused on poor margins offered for sale in the old range Lumia 920: the slow ramp-up due to the” Inderes write Nordnet morning report.
Inderes estimates Nokia’s smartphone unit’s operating loss to be reduced this year for the 2012 level, but the unit still remain clearly negative. Inderes predicts Nokia to sell 33 million Lumiaa this year. The amount is not enough to make a profit.
“We believe that Nokia is currently too small to be able to make a profitable business the smart phone market during the bloody contest.”
Devices & Services unit will remain under pressure in 2013, as the fading of basic telephone business is no longer the place smartphone losses to the same extent as 2012.
Source: http://www.tietoviikko.fi/kaikki_uutiset/analyysiyhtio+lumiamyynti+liian+pienta+kannattavaksi+bisnekseksi/a868856?s=r&wtm=tietoviikko/-09012013&
Tomi Engdahl says:
Nokia earnings better than expected
Nokia gave a positive profit warning.
The result is improved as well as the predicted in smartphones Devices & Services business and on Nokia Siemens Networks.
Source: http://www.iltalehti.fi/talous/2013011016541571_ta.shtml
Tomi Engdahl says:
Nokia sold 4.4 million Lumia smartphones in ‘solid’ Q4 2012; results ‘exceeded expectations’
http://thenextweb.com/insider/2013/01/10/nokia-sold-4-4-million-lumia-smartphones-in-solid-q4-2012-results-exceeded-expectations/
Straight out of left field, Nokia has today announced that its fourth quarter of 2012 was surprisingly solid, making its stock price spike.
Revealing its preliminary financial results for Q4 2012, Nokia says ‘Smart Devices’ net sales came in at approximately 1.2 billion euros ($1.57 billion), with total volumes of 6.6 million units.
Of those, Nokia, notes, 4.4 million units were Lumia smartphones.
In all, total smartphone volumes in Q4 2012 were 15.9 million units – 9.3 million Asha full-touch smartphones, 4.4 million Lumia smartphones and 2.2 million Symbian smartphones. Yup, Lumia finally beat Symbian!
In its press release, Nokia says its ‘Devices & Services’ unit likely exceeded expectations and “achieved underlying profitability” in the fourth quarter of 2012, as both its Mobile Phones business unit and Lumia portfolio delivered better-than-expected results.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Symbian Sells Millions, Despite Nokia Pushing Windows Phone
http://tech.slashdot.org/story/13/01/10/2326220/symbian-sells-millions-despite-nokia-pushing-windows-phone
“During the fourth quarter of 2012, Nokia sold 4.4 million Lumia smartphones—a significant rise from the previous quarter, which featured sales of 2.9 million Lumia devices.”
“Despite that shift and Nokia’s emphasis on Windows Phone, however, the company still sold 2.2 million Symbian smartphones during the quarter.”
“Symbian still sells despite Nokia’s attempts to take it increasingly offline, and Lumia phones are selling well. It’ll take more time—perhaps a lot more time—before the ramifications of Elop’s bet become clear.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
Nokia’s Low-End Asha Is Outselling Lumia Two to One
http://allthingsd.com/20130113/nokias-low-end-asha-is-outselling-lumia-2-to-1/
Earlier this week, Nokia pre-announced its financials for the fourth quarter of 2012, telling investors to prepare for better than expected results. The big reasons for the upside surprise: The strong performance of Nokia’s Devices & Services division generally and burgeoning Lumia sales specifically.
But there was another key player in Nokia’s Q4 uptick: The company’s Asha family of low-end, multitouch smartphones.
According to Nokia’s announcement, shipments of Asha smartphones hit 9.3 million units in the fourth quarter (note: this obviously does NOT include shipments of Asha feature phones). That’s more than double the 4.4 million Lumias shipped during the same period.