Nokia already working on first Microsoft based smartphone
Nokia’s CEO, Stephen Elop has stated that the company has already started work on the company’s first Windows Phone 7 based smartphone, just a few weeks after the company announced its shift from Symbian to the WP7 operating system. Although the company aims to deliver a handset by the end of this year, the first sales are still not expected until next year.
Elop squashed rumors that Microsoft could launch a takeover bid for the company. He stated that he is not aware of a strategic interest that Microsoft would have in the rest of the business. To the extent that a partnership has been formed around what they’re really interested in, then what would an acquisition bring other than a good year of anti-trust investigation, huge turmoil and delays.
He also dismissed rumors of a further shake-up of the senior management team following the recent reshuffling of the directors.
As recently noted, the final terms of the Microsoft-Nokia alliance are still being sorted out, but Elop stated that he expects the final deal to be signed within the next couple of months.
26% smartphone owners use new apps loyally,26% are fickle
A recent research study has unveiled that while smartphone and tablet owners are very willing to give applications a try, 26% of the time they never use the same application again. It is also found that another 26% of people become very loyal, repeat customers, using a new application more than 10 times.
The researchers analyzed app usage data from thousands of Android, iPhone, iPad, BlackBerry and Windows Phone 7 apps subscribed to their real-time mobile application analytics service. For all new customers of an app between July and September 2010, they counted the number of times customers used the same app through early March 2011.
The results revealed that 26% of new customers are fickle, install an app and only use it once. However, the share of customers lost with each additional usage drops quickly and half of customers use an app four or more times.
More importantly, 26% of new customers also become the most loyal customers, using an app more than 10 times over the following months–and many go on to use an app hundreds of times.
Finding Loyal Customers amid 10 Billion Downloads
With over 10 billion downloads from just Apple’s App Store, it’s clear that people are very willing to try new apps. It’s equally clear that app developers and publishers need to look beyond downloads and focus marketing resources on attracting and retaining the quarter of customers who tend to become loyal users.
Verizon Wireless launches Windows Phone 7 smartphone next month (USA)
Verizon Wireless is expected to launch its first Windows Phone 7 based smartphone later next month.
According to reports, Verizon will introduce the HTC 7 Trophy as its first Windows Phone 7 devices for US$200 on a two-year contract. Sales will start in late March, around the same time when CDMA rival operator Sprint is planning to start its first Microsoft smartphone sale.
Part of the delay in launching the phones could be due to the forthcoming OS upgrade which is expected early next month and will fix a large number of the underlying issues with the platform – especially the lack of a copy/paste option.
Reports added that the update has been delayed a number of times due to concerns from operators and device manufacturers.
Earlier this month, Verizon Communications Chief Technology Officer Tony Melone stated that it would take a really outstanding product from Nokia for the carrier to be interested in carrying a Windows Phone 7 based Nokia smartphone.
Verizon doubts running new Nokia phones (USA)
Verizon expects that there will be three dominant smartphone operating systems but worryingly for Nokia, Microsoft won’t be one of the suppliers.
Verizon Communications, Chief Technology Officer, Tony Melone confirmed that he wanted a strong third player in the smartphone OS market, as it gives the carriers more flexibility and balances the interests of all the parties.
Despite the concerns about Windows Phone 7, the company will still release models running that OS later this year, although that happens before Nokia is expected to get its own models into the market.
Nokia has traditionally been weak in the US market, partly due to its lack of CDMA handsets for the Verizon and Sprint networks. The carriers themselves were generally wary of offering Nokia handsets due to its – since resolved – CDMA patent battle with Qualcomm, which they could have been dragged into.
Melone added that even if Nokia starts building CDMA devices again, it would be very difficult for the company to get its handsets into Verizon shops in the near future.
He stated that Verizon’s device pipeline for 2011 shows strong relationships with LG, Samsung, Motorola, HTC, and now Apple.
O2 to pre-load eBay app on UK smartphones
eBay, an online auction and retail service, has signed a deal to pre-load its mobile apps into phones sold by O2 in the UK.
This is the first mobile pre-load deal agreed by eBay anywhere in the world, and the first time Telefonica has selected an app to make available to its O2, smart and feature phone customers across the board. eBay’s mobile app is one of the most popular shopping destinations for O2′s customers who are already responsible for a significant proportion of eBay’s UK mobile traffic.
O2 customers in the UK will be the first to benefit from the arrangement, but eBay’s mobile shopping experience is expected to launch to other Telefonica markets worldwide.
Starting later this year, the eBay mobile app icon or a link to the mobile site will appear on either the home page or two subsequent pages of most Android, Windows Phone 7, Symbian, RIM and bada devices sold by O2 in the UK over the next two years. The company will work with device manufacturers to pre-install the application.
According to Glyn Povah, Head of Content at Telefonica O2 Europe, deals like this are great for customers and great for brands. They allow them to bring their customers best-of-breed content & services from the brands they know and love, while also helping brands stand out in the increasingly cluttered app marketplace.
