Tag Archives: nokia

Mobile Monday Austin | Nokia USA Tour visits Austin – Apr 30, 2012

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Mobile Monday Austin

Please join us April 30 for our next event when Nokia visits Austin for its “Nokia Lumia USA Tour”

WHEN: April 30, 6-9pm
WHERE: Buffalo Billiards, 201 E. 6th St.
WHO: Mobile Monday Austin & Nokia

Please RSVP at Eventbrite: http://momoaustinapr2012.eventbrite.com/

If you have a Windows Phone application, Nokia Developer wants to see your app – visit http://www.mobilemondayaustin.com for more information.

Drinks and appetizers will be served. Nokia is giving away 2 Nokia Lumia 800′s, plus other! For more information, visit the Mobile Monday Austin website.

Also see our new Facebook Page!

See you there…

ceo

On “Japan as the (mobile) leader, USA as the laggard, Nokia in between” and developers, developers, developers, developers

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As discussions and opinions continue at Forxum Oxford on the topic of mobile leadership and Nokia and so forth, the following statement was made by Tomi Ahonen, for which I responded as follows.

Why I am writing about this? Because it is important to understand some of the reasons why some are leaders or are perceived as leaders, or are laggards or are in between….

Tomi Ahonen said:

… that its Japan which is the leader, USA is the laggard – still today – and that Nokia is in between, and in many cases Nokia has led, but Apple does not…”

For which my response was:

Amazing how perception can change everything and even bring a whole global company to the brink of death…

While Japan has indeed been a mobile tech leader, they have remained, in my opinion, very localized geographically. As a consequence, Japan’s global impact has been minute when compared to what Apple, Google and Nokia have all accomplished.

I really don’t get how Apple cannot be seen as a leader in mobile. Apple has definitely led, by taking all the pieces (yes, they learned from others) and creating a new, unique mobile design package like NO other before it. Apple raised the bar for mobile OSes. Gave new meaning to (mobile) web. It gave new meaning to mobile apps. It removed the operator controlled deck. It gave new meaning to developers and ecosystems. It created a new economy for mobile and developers like no other before it. Apple not only brought to market a mobile HW-and-SW package like no other before it, but also changed the playground and the playing rules; the operator is no longer at the center, the ecosystem is. Software (and developers) drive this new mobile economy. And Apple (even if by accident) was the one who figured it out first. If you ask me, Apple was the liberator for mobile developers and the ecosystem. The beneficiaries? The regular user/subscriber.

And there is no turning back. Google, Nokia, Samsung, Palm/HP, Dell, others all understand that it is about the software and the developer ecosystem. Even Ballmer got this right when going Developers, developers, developers, developers crazy:

(for a second I thought he was going into cardiac arrest)

But I digress…

I continued:

Apple introduced its iPhone around 2007. Android ~2008. That is 2-3 years ago! And yet today Nokia has not been able to produce a true match.

The Nokia machine has all the needed parts, but its leadership failed. Today Nokia is struggling for its survival. But Nokia is not dead and will (should) not die; a major reality check this whole experience has been.

Mobile is still a young industry, and anything can happen.

Bonus

Don’t miss the track by Smixx titled Developers (feat. Steve Ballmer):

Smixx – Developers (feat. Steve Ballmer) by Smixx

ceo

On Microsoft and Nokia (June 2011)

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Here revisiting the Microsoft and Nokia relationship, are we witnessing the death of Nokia? Or it’s rebirth?

Nokia is big and powerful, with lots of money, so perhaps the relationship becomes a merger, like a “Microsoft Nokia”-branded company. That would be a huge move for both companies.

Something deep(er) will happen between both companies and soon.

This all looks to me like ‘staged or planned’ (by Nokia board of course); from the Microsoft executive coming onboard as Nokia CEO, to today — all in preparation for an acquisition or merger.

My thoughts and hope are that if Nokia insists on an extremely close relationship with Microsoft, beyond what they already have in place, it should be a merger vs. an acquisition; otherwise they will be totally giving in to Microsoft. You know, there is nothing wrong with pride and passion and keeping Nokia and its name and machine in full force.

Earlier in the year I wrote a couple of pieces on Nokia and MSFT that have proven relatively accurate:

You can also read my friend Tomi Ahonen’s analysis and opinions on this topic on his blog topic. Remember, he is Finnish, so this topic in particular is close to his heart.

ceo

Reaction to Nokia 2011 Strategy Announcement (and Microsoft relationship)

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While a radical change in strategy was expected, it is not aggressive enough.

On my previous post here titled Mobility 2011: Nokia, I shared some thoughts on what Nokia should be doing; some implemented on this new strategy (such as transitioning out of Symbian), but more is needed. And while the new relationship with Microsoft is a start, doing this alone, and the way it was done, which seems one-sided, is the wrong kind of start IMO, and it points to the fact that Nokia is not understanding its real threats. Nokia’s real threats are:

  1. Apple with its iPhone, iPad, and family of products, and,
  2. The manufacturers of Android devices; this is, HTC, Samsung and the the like. Note that I didn’t say Google or Android. Google is the enabler and indirect beneficiary (in big ways).

Relationship with Microsoft will help fence off HTC and similar just on the WP7 front, but that is a tiny front. If Nokia thinks that Microsoft is going to take Nokia to the next level, they are not.

It seems Nokia’s board of directors made some decisions some time ago on Microsoft, then hired Elop from Microsoft as CEO, and then tied (or not) the CEO’s hands. In either case, this shows that Nokia needs to be completely revamped from the top, management and the board of directors. They need a management that understands the true challenges ahead.

Disappointing. Perhaps this is only the beginning of a series of changes that will expand across Mobile platforms, including the complete strategy for high-end smartphones I prev mentioned that puts emphasis on the app layer and services, in addition to spreading their HW design across mobile OSes; that is the differentiation Nokia must execute.

For low-end phone, S40 is fine. MeeGo should not be dropped as it gives Nokia an opportunity to innovate and differentiate on the mobile OS area; and it should be kept as an “R&D” effort; which means, continue investing on it while waiting what happens next.

But going half-ass with today’s strategy and announcement is as bad as not announcing anything at all.

Nokia must focus on a strong future proof strategy, for the next 10 years or more. For this they must execute much more that what it was announced.

I will give them credit that will Nokia will transition Symbian out, over time…

(From Forbes.com)

Elop: “Windows Phone is our primary smartphone platform. What are the implications to Symbian? We have over 200 million Symbian users out there today. As we transition to Windows Phone, we’ll ship another 150 million.” “But,” he adds, “it’s a transition program.” It’s a “Transition from Symbian to Windows Phone.”

What I really hope is the above leaves the door open for a Nokia Qt-based app strategy that brings returns to Ovi and its services vs. purely focusing on WP7 and its dev tools and apps.

And if you ask me, this looks like the beginnings of a relationship that may end up in Microsoft absorbing Nokia.

From the perspective of the layoffs related to the Symbian OS and other, a sad reality. Nokia’s loss is going to be someone else gain. A lot of unique expertise that will end up benefiting others, including new startups.

ceo

Updates:

Mobility in 2011: Nokia

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(This is part of a series of blog posts on Mobility in 2011)

Related to this see: Reaction to Nokia 2011 Strategy Announcement (and Microsoft relationship)

Nokia is in the midst of a major strategy shift; they have to. Nokia has an operational issue to address. The truth is that Nokia is losing traction while other platforms are gaining traction. They must address that trend. Yes, Nokia is still number one, but Nokia must put in place the framework if they want to maintain leadership over the next decade. 2011 will be a critical year for Nokia (and mobile in general) and operationally, Nokia must (should) do the following:

  • Invest on innovation and go-to-market strategies. By this I am referring to focusing on MeeGo and Ovi and cloud-services (Maps, etc). It is about focusing on great HW designs. And super important, it is about focusing on Qt and Qt-based apps across mobile platforms/OSes, a strategy that in turn will have returns on Ovi and their services and related ecosystem.
  • Cut costs. Here I am referring to “ditching” Symbian OS especially on their smartphones, starting with making such decision in 2011; this will take time to execute. Back in Feb 2009 I wrote a blog On Nokia’s App Store Strategy, where my main point was that Nokia had too many platforms and content portals and related strategies to deal with; very hard to focus and compete this way. Since then, Nokia killed N-Gage, but they should do more. They must kill their “cash cow” Symbian and related OPEX so they can invest/focus on few new strategies that give them traction, and as important, let developers focus on a given app strategy that helps them go to market more quickly.
  • Balance ego with business realities. This is hard. This goes back to balancing the above with respect to investing on innovation and go-to-market vs. cutting costs. Killing the cash cow is a very hard decision to make by current management, which is why bringing someone from the outside (Stephen Elop) at this stage makes perfect sense. Even if Symbian stays for now, the shift must be on the app framework (Qt) which, if they go across mobile OSes increases their reach, including Ovi’s reach.

The combination of HW and new SW and go-to market strategies, Nokia should be able address the current trends, restoring faith on the company, and helping fence off HTC and Samsung and the like.

It actually is a very exciting time for Nokia, and its positioning for the next decade. If Nokia plays it right, they will not let Operators dictate its own future; a strategy that let Apple and Google not only grow in mobile at an incredible pace in a very short amount of time, but also become leaders on mobile innovation.

ceo

Nokia sells bulk of Qt business to Digia; this is a very strange news, Nokia selling bulk of Qt. I don’t know what to think about this… total commitment to Windows?

Related to this see:

Michael Mace on Is Symbian dead? And if so, who killed it?

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Michael Mace wrote an *excellent* piece titled Is Symbian dead? And if so, who killed it?. A must read for anyone in mobile.

[Update Nov 26, 2010] Symbian Foundation web sites to shut down.

His writeup has great background info that brings lots of memories; EPOC and Psion (circa 2000), the Symbian conferences in the Valley, UIQ, CodeWarrior and so on. Good time$.

Michael also covers the Symbian governance and how it was/is as the *center of the problem*.

(I want to add that the very same problem with governance is *also* what have killed J2ME/JavaME; the same. This is a broken system that pushes away the developer community (because they get tired of the same old thing and no change and no real ability to help change), it is a broken system proven to kill technology and related business opportunities and the ecosystem around it.)

At a recent MobileMonday Austin we had Nokia as a guest where they presented their their impressive numbers, their very nice new N8 handset and emphasis on the Ovi store (as they should), and Symbian^3.

From that presentation, and later from their website (see Symbian^3 Developer Overview) , I immediately recognized the importance of their new strategy that focuses on Qt and the implicit strategy of “moving away” from Symbian OS as a developer platform. Note that Qt will become the primary application framework starting with Symbian^4 and Symbian^3 is a migration path to this.

So Nokia, the largest consumer of the Symbian OS, has decided to focus on an abstraction layer, the app framework itself (Qt) that will allow developers run their apps (once ported!) on whatever Nokia platform (infrastructure that is) underneath — Symbian OS, Meego, etc. This definitely is a good strategy as it brings consistency to developers. It also signals a larger intention where the Symbian operating system itself, as a developer platform, is moving into irrelevancy.

ceo

MobileMonday Austin (Nov 2010) | Nielsen on Mobile Applications and Connected Devices

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I posted at the MobileMonday Austin website information about the next event…

Please note that seating is limited; please register and reserve your seating and enter the raffle to win a new Nokia N8. For registration and more information, please visit the MobileMonday Austin website at http://www.mobilemondayaustin.com/.

The event is sponsored by Nokia and the 2010 Calling All Innovators North America developer contest, presented by Nokia and AT&T.

Topic: Mobile Applications and Connected Devices — New Nielsen Company research on the changing media consumption landscape

When: November 1, 2010 | 5:30pm – 8:00pm

Where: Cool River (4001 W Parmer Ln, Austin, TX 78727-4105)

Come listen to the Nielsen Company present new research on Smartphones, Tablets and the new Application economy. Information in this session will address:

  • Growth of Smartphones, leading platforms and a look forward
  • Behaviors and preferences of mobile app users
  • Which apps are people using and why?
  • How much are downloaders’ willing to pay?
  • Overall look at tablets, e-readers, media players and netbooks – how are users consuming media on these devices?
  • How do tablet users respond to advertising versus smartphone owners?
  • What do media companies need to consider when launching tablet and smartphone content?