All change and nobody’s to blame…except him
What are Nokia and Microsoft actually partnering on?
Come on, you know this. Windows Phone will be Nokia’s new main smartphone platform. At the OS level for its smartphones, this is a switch from the path Nokia was taking from Symbian to MeeGo.
What about Symbian?
It’s going to be a franchise platform.
Like Macdonalds?
Sort of. Actually, probably more like Wimpy.
What happens to MeeGo?
Well, its VP has been released to spend more time with his family, but it’s still alive – as a “project” and for future devices. “At least” one MeeGo device will be released this year. Parked, essentially, for the time being.
Has anyone called Intel?
Good point.
What happens to Ovi?
Not a single mention of it in any of the three releases Nokia put out this morning. One sentence said, “Nokia’s content and application store will be integrated with Microsoft Marketplace for a more compelling consumer experience”. Not even mentioning it by name? Surely glosses over one of the biggest issues, porting all those apps, pointing all those developers to Windows, “integrating” to Windows Marketplace.
So as Nokia and Microsoft plan to build a new ecosystem, it looks like Ovi gets parked. In terms of the major “native” serivces, some Nokia services, like Maps, will be preferred. Some Microsoft entities, like Bing and adCenter will be the winners.
So when can we expect to see Nokia Windows 7 phones?
“Success requires speed. We will be swift.” said Elop. But until the later press conference, who knows. 2012, though, isn’t it? Perhaps one rushed through for Nokia World later this year, at a push?
What does this all mean for Nokia?
Even they’ve got no idea. They’re refusing to make any predictions or forecasts for the remainder of the year. 2011 and 2012 will be “years of transition”. How the markets love uncertainty, though. Shares took an immediate 10% fall.
What does it mean for operators?
It’s one fewer top level OS, which is a positive and a negative. Less of a support issue, less market confusion over platforms, the chance to deliver operator-cutomised WP7 on Nokia devices. But it’s potentially a greater OTT threat in the apps and services space, given the combined power of Microsoft and Nokia. Nokia did make note of its operator billing capabilities, though, in terms of driving sales in developing markets.
Nokia used to laugh at Microsoft’s attempts to break into mobile. How did it come to this, where Microsoft represents Nokia’s best chance of a high level future in mobile?
Where to start? A combination of technical inflexibility – a “legacy” OS that was unable to allow developers to keep up with the UIs of other platforms, plus slow development of the new OS, plus confusion over the developer environment – and market perception, all spiced with a healthy dose of denial .
So presumably all the people responsible for this mess have been sent to tan reindeer hides as punishment?
Er, no, not really. Jo Harlow, who was senior VP of smartphones… is now in charge of Smart Devices. This includes “creating a winning Windows Phone portfolio”, so pretty much the most important strategic job in the company. Mary MacDowell who was in charge of Mobile Phones, is now in charge of …Mobile Phones. Tero Ojanpera, previously head of Services, is now…head of Services – which includes the crucial job of building developer relations. Niklas Savander, who was VP of markets, is now…VP of Markets. You get the idea…
So we’re not playing the blame game, then?
Well, as we said, the bloke heading up MeeGo…he go.
So it was all his fault, then?
Rather. The cake was perfect, the icing was delicious, but the cherry on top was off. He had to go.