Don’t forget us!
At the recent Open Mobile Summit held in London, much of the talk centred around new smartphone and netbook hardware platforms like Qualcomm's Snapdragon, running the Android operating system, and how they stack up against Apple's iPhone.
Conspicuously absent from the above is the world's biggest phone handset maker Nokia, which could be in danger of becoming an also-ran in the next generation of smart mobile devices unless it can remind people why it's still number one.
At a Nokia Connection event in Singapore today, Nokia unveiled two new smartphones - one focused on business productivity and the other with a more fun, consumer angle.
In a couple of keynotes, Nokia execs revealed some details of its smartphone strategy. "Nokia envisions a world where people will be empowered to share and connect with what matters most to them through highly personalised and contextually relevant solutions," said EVP and chief development officer Mary McDowell.
"To this end, Nokia is driving this transformation both as a company and externally to build a vibrant ecosystem and deliver relevant and delightful solutions to consumers."
Chris Carr, VP of sales for the SEAP region, added: "We are witnessing exciting developments in our industry driven by the rapid convergence of the internet and mobile. This is not only happening in advanced markets but for everyone. According to industry estimates, we have already reached the 4 billion mobile connections milestone globally early this year.
"The next phase of growth will be very much driven by the emerging markets, including Indonesia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Vietnam. Many of the population from these markets are accessing the internet, information, education, and entertainment on their first mobile. Nokia is playing a pivotal role in this transformation."
