nokia – Is It Yourself?

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Originally uploaded by tnkgrl

“Comrades we sail into history”

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to look at a big event before it happened. It is very easy to look into the past and pick out when political or technological change occurred, it is much harder the other way around. However one of those nexus points of history is upon us.

Apple finally has a competitor that can compete with it, Nokia. Apple has all but dominated the mp3/mobile audio space since the launch of the iPod in 2001 (yes that long ago) but recently Steve Jobs and his skivvy wearing brethren had the temerity to move into the mobile phone space with the launch of the iPhone. Apple have been successful because the have made stylish music players never had any competition from the likes of Microsofts Zune or Creative MuVo.

Nokia, however, have been playing the stylish mobile device game even before Apple launched their iPod, they had the express-on covers for the Nokia 5110 that came out in 1998 (and my first mobile) and they knew it was just providing the technology but also the humanity, and they made a lot of money with the 5110 one of the most popular mobile phones ever.

So if you cast your net out on the internet today it should be no surprise that on the same day that there are rumours of Apple launching a wireless iPod and associated wireless iTunes, Nokia have launched their online music website.

Apple has dominated mobile music for a long time and seemed unassailable with the DRM lock in that allowed then to sign up the 5 major labels they did. However following Steve Jobs magic letter on DRM in February there is now a move away from DRM which lowers the barrier for entry for competitors into mobile music.

Nokia has tried and failed to enter different areas of the mobile space it didn’t belong, the N-Gage for example was a miscalculation, (however they have ported N-Gage games into the S60 platform so it wasn’t for nought). However they have maintained their dominance as they are never afraid to learn and adapt to the new models. As Nokia’s Executive VP & General Manager of Multimedia, Anssi Vanjoki ,said, said when images of a Nokia iPhone knock were released “If there is something good in the world then we copy with pride.” Nokia may not win the new mobile internet/music race but by jingo they will give Apple a run for their money if they don’t. Sit back and enjoy the ride.

I found a comment I made over on Ed Felten‘s Freedom to Tinker blog about the recent iPhone release been quoted by CNN link. My orignal post has been edited a little bit but I guessing that they at least they there there was some merit in my original comment :

I think that the iPhone will be the game changer that it has been touted as, but it may not necessarily be the winner (Apple isn’t always successful, the newton any one?). If some company comes along with a device that matches the iPhone but doesn’t demand a contract lock in, they could charge ahead and gobble up all the people who are interested in the iPhone but are not Mac zealots enough to accept the current situation.

I don’t know if that now makes me an authority, but it is good to know that know that some one out there is paying attention.

Original Freedom to tinker article.

For the record I recently acquired a Nokia N95 (unfortunately I had to buy it, I did try and drop a few hints around the internet and hoping that Santy or Nokia would hear it, but alas no). I’m still getting a feel for it but there is huge power here already but not as sexy as the iPhone. Nokia have a history of stylish design in the past and they may be able to churn out a iPhone killer.

From Darla Mack Blog :

This is not a paid endorsement from Nokia, however I am interested in any future devices you might produce, give me a call.

To Apple I still can’t wait to get an iPhone in my hand so all is not lost yet, also give me a call.

And finally to CNN I am a noisy windbag that pretty much has an opinion on any thing so feel free to quote me again in the future, you know where I am.