Nokia has seen its fortunes disappear over the last couple of years as smartphones overtake all other types of mobile phones in people’s pockets with the power shifting from traditional handset makers like Nokia and Sony Ericsson to Apple and Google. However they do seem to be turning their ship around over recent months with the Lumia range receiving positive reviews from across the board – they may not have created an iPhone killer yet, but they at least have some horses in the race in the Lumia 800 and 900.
The Nokia Lumia smrtphones are running Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7.5 (Mango) operating system, which is both a help and a hindrance to the uptake of the phones. It means they are not competing simply on specs with the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S3 and the HTC One X, but they also don’t have the huge variety of apps available on Google Play. The Windows Phone Marketplace has grown dramatically over recent months, but it still pales in comparison with the app stores from Google and Apple, and it is difficult to woo app developers to a platform with only about 2% of smartphone users in contrast to the 40+% of users running iOS or Android. Microsoft has started addressing this issue by setting up an app fund for Windows Phone apps, but Nokia is also getting behind apps by gaining deals for exclusive launches on its Lumia phones from the likes of Rovio (Angry Birds), ESPN, Groupon, EA, PGA Tour, Tripdots, PayPal, AOL Entertainment, TIME, Newsweek and Box.net.
With all this investment in the Windows Phone app economy and the upcoming launch of Windows 8 and integration between desktops, laptops, tablets, and smartphones that this will bring – it looks as if we will be seeing a real three-way OS race in 2012/13. Now all Nokia needs to do is manage to get assurances for Lumia owners that they will get free upgrades to Windows 8 when it comes out in September/October of this year. The n users will be able to buy the smartphones and know that their device will only improve over the coming months whilst iPhone and Android users will find their devices falling behind the pack.
[via Wired]
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