Nokia to end mobile money service (Finland, India)
Handset maker Nokia is planning to put an end to its mobile money business in an attempt to keep with the company’s strategy of focusing on the core areas of the business. Nokia launched its service a couple of years back in India.
According to a report by Hindu, Nokia has over 1.2 million subscribers availing the mobile money service, via different platforms. The company has tied up Yes Bank, Union Bank as well as provides the service via its own platform, ‘Nokia money’. However, the impact will be felt by the 2 lakh subscribers using the service under the Nokia Money brand.
The report reveals that the information to these subscribers to use up the money deposited in the mobile money account will be sent starting March 15. Further, Nokia will continue the service for the next 3 to 4 months to give enough time for subscribers to use up the money.
The company will surrender its licence to the apex bank in India, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) as well as refund the registration fee to the subscribers.
Nokia introduces new smartphones at MWC 2012 (Spain, Finland)
Handset maker Nokia introduced a range of new products, services and partnerships at Mobile World Congress, setting the pace for 2012 and demonstrating rapid execution of its new strategic direction. As per the company, the new strategy already has resulted in the adoption of Windows Phone as Nokia’s primary smartphone platform, major changes to its feature phones, and additional emphasis on location-based services with the launch of its Location & Commerce business.
Stephen Elop, president and CEO, Nokia has said that one year ago, Nokia was embarking on a new journey to build great mobile devices. Today, with their fourth Lumia device, smarter mobile phones and an array of new services, they are demonstrating that they can change the clock speed of Nokia.
Nokia has extended the range of products with Windows Phone by introducing the Nokia Lumia 610, the most affordable Lumia yet, as well as targeting availability of the widely acclaimed Lumia 900 to additional markets beyond the U.S.
Aimed at young people who want an affordable introduction to Lumia and Windows Phone, the Nokia Lumia 610 provides easy access to social networks, web browsing, music, games, navigation and tens of thousands of apps in the Windows Phone Marketplace. It comes in four vibrant colors and is expected to begin shipping in the second quarter of 2012.
The Nokia Lumia 900, which launched in January as Nokia’s first LTE-enabled smartphone, will now be available in Dual Carrier HSPA for up 42.2 Mbps. The superior content experience of the phone’s 4.3 inch ClearBlack AMOLED display and large capacity battery will be available to more countries around the world.
Nokia announced Nokia Reading providing a single, integrated reading hub experience. Nokia Reading makes it easier and faster to enjoy news, books, and audio books including an extensive catalogue of local language reading material and the ability to access content offline.
Nokia also ushered in a new era in high end smartphone imaging. The Nokia 808 PureView is the first smartphone to feature exclusive Nokia PureView imaging technologies that will enable a range of high-end imaging experiences into Nokia products over the coming years. The Nokia 808 PureView combines a large, high-resolution 41-megapixel sensor, Carl Zeiss optics and Nokia-developed pixel over-sampling technology. This means incredibly sharp, detailed images, superior low light performance and the capability to save images in compact file sizes for sharing in email, MMS and on social networks.
The Nokia 808 PureView also includes Nokia Rich Recording for CD-like quality audio recording, full HD 1080p video recording and playback, and exclusive Dolby Headphone technology to transform any stereo content into a personal surround sound experience over any headphones.
Nokia is further blurring the line between feature phones and smartphones, launching three new Asha devices for people who want to work, learn and play. Developed for urban consumers and entrepreneurs, the Nokia Asha 302 is a premium QWERTY device. It delivers a mobile office experience with push email and calendar, and contacts synchronization under the Mail for Exchange support – a first for Nokia Series 40 devices.
Designed for easy access to social networks, the Nokia Asha 202 and 203 bring touchscreens to volume-priced products and a pack of 40 free Electronic Arts games. The Asha 202 also features Nokia’s Easy Swap Dual SIM technology, allowing people to simply swap between tariffs and get the best value from carriers.
Nokia is also differentiating itself by updating its popular Life Tools service, now called Nokia Life, that provides life-enhancing information across the range of Nokia Series 30 and Series 40 products, including the new Asha 202 and Asha 203. People in India, China, Indonesia and Nigeria will benefit from life skills, parenting, education, agriculture and entertainment services, delivered via SMS.
The new Asha devices complement the Nokia Asha range that is available now in more than 100 markets globally.
Nokia welcomes Marko Ahtisaari to the Nokia leadership team (Finland)
Leading mobile phone maker, Nokia, has appointed Marko Ahtisaari as Executive Vice President, Design, and a member of the Nokia Leadership Team, effective February 1, 2012. He will be reporting directly to President and CEO Stephen Elop.
According to a report by the company, Ahtisaari will continue to lead the Nokia design team, responsible for the industrial design and user experience design of all Nokia products.
Stephen Elop, president and CEO, Nokia has said that one of the key differentiators of Nokia is the elegant and head-turning design of their products. He added that as they have charted their new course, Marko Ahtisaari has ensured that they elevate the importance of distinctive design, which is evident in the industry’s response to their award-winning Lumia and Asha products.
Also, by appointing Marko to the Nokia Leadership Team, they believe his influence will ensure that design leadership becomes part of everything they make and also everything they do.
Nokia partners with T-Mobile to launch Lumia 710 (USA, Finland)
Finalnd based handset maker, Nokia is hopeful of re-establishing itself in the U.S. by collaborating with mobile operator T-Mobile for the sale of its Lumia 710 smartphone. According to company reports, the smartphone powered by Microsoft’s Windows software is expected to be sold for US$ 50.
With the smartphone market being largely dominated by Apple’s iPhones and Google Android powered smatphones, Nokia hopes to capture some of the market share through its low-priced smartphone. The company reportedly aims to position the Lumia 710 as the affordable smartphone for all consumers. Further, the company has hinted that users will also be provided with unlimited calls to a special concierge line which would help them set up as well as adapt the handset to suit their needs.
Nokia plans to sell off luxury division ‘Vertu’ (Europe)
Finnish handset maker Nokia is reportedly planning to sell of its luxury handset division Vertu, which manufactures handsets encrusted with precious stones for the affluent market segment. According to reports, the division has been valued in the range of US$ 260 million and US$ 400 million approximately.
While many would believe that there would be very few buyers for a US$ 10,000 handset, the division has reported very good profit margins and has as much as 60 percent of the European market in its grip. A major attraction for people buying these phones is the concierge service which is available 24/7. The service has a special call button on the phone which gives users access to a team of dedicated assistants which take care of various requests such as taxi and restaurant bookings along with finding whatever is requested for.
As per sources, analysts speculate that apart from the private equity firms, luxury brands may also be interested in acquiring Vertu based on its target market.
Apple iPhone leads the way with more than half of the industry profits
According to industry reports, Apple iPhone is leading the smartphone industry, accounting for more than half (52 percent) of the industry’s total profits in the third quarter. Samsung had raced ahead of Apple during the second quarter but found itself in second place with the launch of Apple’s new iPhone 4S. Further, as per reports, during the third quarter of 2011, Apple and Samsung were responsible for as much as 81 percent of the revenues in the smartphone market. The remaining major manufacturers such as RIM, Sony, Motorola, Nokia, LG, HTC and Ericsson, all fell under 10 percent of the profits.
When compared to a few years ago, sources reveal that Nokia was dominating the smartphone industry with over 67 percent of the profits four years ago as compared to Apple’s profits of only 4 percent. Industry analysts believe that Apple’s position is only going to get stronger in the fourth quarter and may take as much as 60 percent of the industry profits. According to sources, Apple is expected to sell 29 million iPhones by December 2011 and over 100 million iPhones by the end of next year.
Nokia to target the U.S. smartphone market in 2012 (USA)
Nokia has reportedly announced that it plans to re-enter the United States smartphone market by early next year with its new range of devices running on Microsoft’s Windows operating system. According to reports, Nokia has suffered a loss of over $85 billion since 2007 when Apple launched its first iPhone. Further, as per industry sources, Nokia’s market share dropped from 50.8 percent to 20.9 percent in the second quarter of 2007. Sources claim that Stephen Elop, CEO, Nokia has said that they plan to be very competitive and to go head-on with the appropriate devices at the appropriate price points. He added that the company plans to extend its new product line by introducing more economical as well as more expensive phone than the previously launched Lumia 800 and Lumia 710.
As per reports, Elop has said that while they haven’t yet announced any plans to launch a tablet-computer, they do see the opportunity offered in the tablet market segment. Further, he said that the new Windows 8 is expected to have a tiled user interface which is like a ‘supercharged’ version for the tablets. Industry sources reveal that Samsung and Apple have rapidly overtaken Nokia in the smartphone segment, and that the Windows phones maybe the company’s final chance to regain some of its lost market share. Regarding the number of apps for its smartphones, Elop has reportedly said that that they will take the necessary measures to ensure that the most popular apps are offered on their platform. According to reports, the Lumia 800 phone has been priced much lower than the Apple iPhone 4S at $ 590 and has a higher resolution camera than the Samsung Galaxy Nexus.
Nokia plans marketing blitz for the Lumia 800 (Finland)
The Nokia Lumia 800, based on Microsoft’s new Windows Phone 7.5 operating system (Mango), is being considered as the best Windows phone yet. Reports suggest Nokia has taken extra care while designing this handset, offering customers a worthy substitute for an iPhone or an android.
According to reports, Nokia has taken care that the polycarbonate shells for phones have been dyed instead of simply being sprayed over, so as to maintain the colour of the phone even if it is scratched. The phone has been designed in such a way that the sides of the device are curved while the top and bottom of the phone is flat. The phone enables users to experience vibrant colours through its version of the Super AMOLED Plus screen. Also, the camera is the same as in Nokia’s N9 handset, providing users with great results. Further, as per sources, on the software side, Microsoft has offered its users a new feature enabling them to pin certain functions of an application to their handset’s home screen. Priced at $590, the device is expected to be available in Europe by next month.
As per sources, Stephen Elop, CEO, Nokia said that he managed to beat expectations by delivering the first Windows smartphone before Christmas. However, he added that winning over customers will require a marketing blitz. He has reportedly claimed that the amount spent on marketing the Lumia series will be triple as compared to the previous product launches. Sources also suggest that Nokia has tied up with some of the biggest phone companies including Vodafone Group PLC, in an attempt to bring back customers who have shifted their allegiance towards the iPhone and Android based devices. Further, Nokia plans to make use of Windows distinctive interface which comes with big, colourful tiles as compared to the smaller icons offered by Apple and Android.
However, Industry analysts state that even with a technically good phone and enhanced marketing strategies, Nokia may need to wait a while for Apple loyalists and Android users to switch to a Windows phone.
Nokia’s new $6,800 diamond encrusted phone
At the time mobile phones were introduced to consumers, there was one name that was dominant across regions – Nokia. Recently though, with players like Apple and Samsung bringing in new technology, users have shifted their allegiance to other manufacturers, causing Nokia to lose some of its market share. However, the luxury division of Nokia ‘Vertu’ is still going strong and has as much as 60% of the European market in its grip.
While all iPhone fans are awaiting the launch of Apples’s new handset next week, Vertu has captured the attention of the luxury phone users, with its latest handset complete with a diamond encrusted QWERTY keypad. The phone, priced at $6,800 has a gold frame, a diamond encrusted case and keys made of precious stones. While the handsets of the luxury segment have been accused of not being the most updated in terms of technology, Nokia’s latest handset boasts of a better operating system and a higher resolution built-in camera.
According to reports, services chief, Mark Izatt, says that a big draw for old and new Vertu customers is the company’s concierge function, provided free to the users for the first year and charged at about $3,000 annually thereafter. This function gives users a 24 hour access to the hotline staff, who speak nine languages including Chinese, Russian and Arabic, and take care of user requests such as restaurant reservations and travel planning, along with some exquisite requests like sending a box of live butterflies as an anniversary gift.
Nokia, RIM lead mobile market, Apple lags behind (India)
While Apple iPhone’s have become quite the rage across the world, India, the world’s second largest mobile phone market, receives fewer handsets than most of the smaller markets, as per recent reports. Nokia and Research In Motion have been the most successful in India’s mobile market with 602 million subscribers.
Analysts suggest that one of the reasons for Apple’s lower market share in India is the inability of Indian wireless carriers to offer fast services that use the iPhone features to the fullest. As per reports, the 3G network in India isn’t at par with the services offered in regions like Western Europe and Northern America. Further, as Apple only sells its products through licensed resellers, accessibility to the product can also become an issue.
As per the World Bank estimates, about 900 million people live on less than $2 a day in India. With the cheapest iPhone 4 selling for $705 and the cheapest iPad 2 costing about $603, affordability is also a cause for concern for users in the nation. In contrast, Apple’s U.S. online store offers its users the iPhone 4 at $199 with an AT&T Inc. contract and the iPad at $499. Sources claim that while only 62,043 iPhones were shipped to India during the last quarter, lesser than those send to Norway, Belgium or Israel, the number of iPads shipped was as low as 21,150 accounting for only 0.2 percent of its global total.
As per sources, Nokia accounted for 46 percent of India’s smartphone shipments in the quarter ended June 30, followed by Samsung Electronics at 21 percent, RIM at 15 percent while Apple accounted for only 2.6 percent. Further, reports suggest that Nokia and Research In Motion Ltd. sell more devices in India, where smartphone shipments are forecast to grow almost 70 percent a year until 2015.
Analysts claim that RIM got the right product, the right timing and the right app. RIM’s BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) instant-messaging service gained popularity because it was one of the first, and it functions well on 2G speeds as well. As per reports, Krishnadeep Baruah, Director of Marketing for Waterloo, Canada-based RIM in India said that RIM, which entered India in 2004, plans to extend its lead over Apple after expanding distribution to 80 cities from 15 starting last year.
As per industry estimates, smartphone shipments in India are expected to grow at an average of 68 percent a year, to 81.5 million units by 2015.
