So here’s a bit of intriguing question that been puzzling me for some time. Windows Phone 7 has been out in the local market for nearly 2 years now and it has not made a huge piece of the pie in terms of market share.
I’ve been using the HTC HD7 as early as December 2010 and I’ve actually used it extensively (it became my primary phone for about 6 months). It was running on Windows Phone 7 and it’s not even on 7.5 Mango yet.
Since then, both LG and Samsung had the chance to present their flagship WP7 handset. LG had the Optimus 7 and Samsung had Samsung Focus (although I could not remember if they released it locally).
HTC on the other hand went on to deliver several more WP7 handsets — HTC Trophy, HTC Mozart and recently, the HTC Radar.
However, since Nokia announced that it will be carrying WP7 in its high-end smartphones, the excitement and anticipation has considerably grown and I’m not exactly sure why.
Nevertheless, let me hazard a guess:
A. The promise that Nokia can bring down the retail prices of Windows Phone 7 handsets. WP7 phones used to retail in the Php25k and up making them go head to head with other flagship phones. It is possible customers are hoping that Nokia will provide the market with a wider selection and more affordable handset. My guess is that the sweet spot will be under Php20k.
B. Nokia’s reputation with designing eye-candy smartphones. Maybe people are just looking for great looking phones? This is pretty obvious with the Lumia series.
C. A combination of both — great handset design and great price — a formula that Nokia needs to deliver in order to translate all these excitement into actual sales.
If you guys have other ideas, please chime in the comments. In any case, let me know what your pick is from the choices above.
celestia says:
Hmm.. Here’s what I thought. Maybe it’s not the price? Remember that Stephen Elop’s the new CEO, and that he formerly came from Microsoft? Being in that position, I think they’ve embanked the Nokia to a more head on head deal with Microsoft. An investment perhaps? I think this played a bit too.
Moreover, I think it’s the long wait that Nokia’s gonna do the market with an OS that other brands also has. HTC has it, Samsung has it.. Who else, right?
Jad says:
One reason why Nokia will be carrying WinPhones is because of their current CEO Stephen Elop who used to be working with Microsoft. as per MS announcement, WP8 will only be released on their preferred specs (not the manufacturers) and I guess Nokia already geared towards that direction to fulfill the standards of Microsoft.
Im now waiting for a WP8 as they promised seamless integration with Win8 for PC and Tabs. I can just imagine doing all my reports on the go, with SharePoint, Exchange, and MS Office on mobile. Let’s see if they can really deliver.
seraphillumy says:
maganda talaga ang WP7 ng Nokia… kaya lang wala daw mass storage support dapat daw via Zune.. pero may app ba para ma-access ang mass storage via USB? kung meron man.. i’ll stick to Nokia WP7.
Brainyoreo says:
Siguro sir kaya din mababa ang market share ng WP7 sa pilipinas aside sa medyo mahal nga ang mga WP7 phones eh ung WP7 marketplace nila medyo late na din nagbukas dito sa Pilipinas.
Siguro if Nokia will produce a WP7 phone that is within the 15k-20k mark maybe they can get a market share here.
Robin Lim says:
It is not really what Nokia can do… it is really more timing. The 1GHz processor and 480 x 800 resolution screens kept the prices of Windows Phones high. How many Android would sell if that was their minimum spec.
By June I suspect the 1GHz processor and 480 x 800 resolution screens will be entry level.
alain says:
Nokia’s time has passed. They stopped innovating after making money. They deserve to die (the company).
ronald says:
http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/10/nokia-n9-spotted-running-ice-cream-sandwich-dual-boot-in-the-wo/
this IS perfrect for my nokia n9 in white 64GB
dj0502 says:
Bakit wala man lang choice na software and user experience? Yuga/abe, it’s time for you to stop just reading blogs and start experiencing windows phone (7.5 please). And currently, prices of 1st gen windows phone are around 11k to 15k, and can PERFECTLY run mango.. Something that older gen android phones can’t say about ics….
Another key point for nokia is that they are forcing microsoft to do things, such as opening marketplace to key nokia markets, release of windows phone tango for lower end phones, while nokia on the other end would have lower end phones, more form factors, better distribtuion and marketing..
Abe Olandres says:
If you read thru the title and my question — “What can Nokia do with Windows Phone 7?”. As such, an option for software, ecosystem and UI is out of the question since that one is dependent on WP7 and not on Nokia.
jayb says:
can’t find windows phones here in the philippines. . huhu love the UI
Ren says:
try dbgadget in multiply.com thats where i purchased my htc radar
dj0502 says:
Bakit wala man lang choice na software and user experience? Yuga/abe, it’s time for you to stop just reading blogs and start experiencing windows phone (7.5 please). And currently, prices of 1st gen windows phone are around 11k to 15k, and can PERFECTLY run mango.. Something that older gen android phones can’t say about ics….
Abe Olandres says:
dj0502: please read the title and the premise of the blog post first. What I was asking is “what can Nokia add to WP7 that LG & HTC cannot do?”
Adding option for “software and user experience” as you put it does not make sence because the same “software and user experience” is also offered by WP7 to LG and HTC.
Lezure2010 says:
Nokia brings it’s popularity to WP, that’s it.
A lot of people still want to buy the latest nokia flagship no matter what OS it is.
I just hope that nokia will always have the best Windows phone spec wise in comparison with other brands. I’d hate to see Samsung bring out an uber spec Windows phone, and they really just might. It would kill nokia.
radioactive_balut says:
For a Nokia country like ours does Nokia still have to tweak their WP7 phones to sell like hotcakes here?
nls says:
Battery life and Nokia maps. My phone is my free full gps voice navigator
-Sent via YugaTech Mobile App
pong says:
ayoko ng lumia 800 gusto ko lumia 900
Rick says:
Yung isang C6-01 ko ok naman performance pero hindi sya Windows based. Though nakakabasa ng DOC at XLS ok na rin.
cxianok says:
Waiting for Lumia 710 here and if the price is 13k down, imma get it along with my Android Phone :)
Jesse says:
It’s Nokia as brand, basically. Nokia is known for making handsome looking and reliable phones- there was a time when you wouldn’t buy a phone unless it’s by Nokia. This is one company that invests heavily on R&D to make sure phone quality is high. When it was unseated as the industry leader by Apple, it wasn’t because the quality of their phones went down – they just didn’t innovate that much and iPhone when it came out was really revolutionary in the space of multi-touch phones. Their Symbian OS wasn’t a great platform for multi-touch devices.
Marrying the Nokia brand as a phone maker with WP7 operating system makes perfect sense because WP7 (especially version 7.5 or Mango) is heavily invested upon by the giant Microsoft, and it is the most refreshing and unique OS right now. People just actually need to use try Mango out for a couple of days to realise realise what they are missing.
With the 2 big brands collaborating, people expect big things to come. That’s why a lot of critics are saying Nokia Lumia 710 and 800 are the first truly Windows Phones. The awards that Nokia is reaping for the Lumia 800 hone design and craftsmanship is a testament.
Add to that the awesome add-ons that Nokia brings to the table – like the free Nokia Drive which you must really try – they really are on their way back.
Iyan Sommerset says:
Nokia does have a reputation for making hard-as-bricks phones. I hope they bring that to the WP system. Y’know, phones you can drop that won’t die or crack-out.
Jeff says:
Nokia is undeniably one of the popular cellphone companies in the world. It even defeated android Samsung galaxies and iphones in terms of number of units dispatched last year.
But I still prefer android/iphone though. hehe Nevertheless, Windows Phone 7 OS is promising. I’m still waiting for Windows 8 though.
I think the trend here is
iOS for iPhones
Android for Samsung/HTC/etc
WP7 for Nokia
Ligrev says:
I remember long time ago, when Nokia and Microsoft just inked their deal that Nokia would have some freedom to modify WP7. I think that’s the leverage versus other ODM’s.
Eason says:
I really wanted to have a Windows Phone 7, but the requirements is just too high, even with Nokia’s powers to bring it down. In the two years of WP7 I just lost interest because Nokia was VERY SLOW in releasing the Lumnia
wengweng says:
Windows phone may be flawlessly integrated w/ windows 8. If they do that, I am definitely switching to a WP. And if they put enough useful exclusive apps working for nokia, then I’d strongly consider a nokia WP :-)
reikoku says:
marketing! nokia is marketing wp7 like crazy compared to the other oems
oldmanjenkins says:
You took the word right out of my mouth. Marketing! I have to browse through all the posts just to make sure if someone already included marketing.
LG and HTC are good companies with good products but not too many Filipinos are familiar with them unlike Nokia.
kimkae77 says:
YES..make it dual boot with anndroid OS.
simplynice93 says:
I agree. Dual booting in smartphones is the future. Nokia should realize that to be the first phone to dual boot or integrate 2 mobile OS is the best course to get the big market.
IC DeaDPiPoL says:
make it capable of dual-booting with Android OS then I’ll get one
Tweaker_bell says:
WP7.5 Mango is capable, with just some major tweaking.
pinoy persuasion says:
Nokia is known for:
1. great phone build
2. stubbornness in sticking to its own OS (WP7)
3. great phone capabilities (clear calls and data reception)
4. great camera quality
5. great battery
Add those with great pricing and new apps (port those Android apps) and I’ll buy one of those Nokia smartphones!
ronald says:
i got turned off with windows when i bought a mozart last year january 2011 and found out the philippines was not on the market place list. only recently were it included. microsoft better catch up with the others or else it’s the end of the road.
Andre says:
remember the windows mobile was it on the SAP?
smart amazing phone?
Louie says:
I believe that Nokia has this certain flexibility when it comes to hardware. It can tone down a model’s specs and launch with a competitive price or upgrade it to the point of being a flagship while maintaining the same user experience a WP7 OS can offer. My two cents.
Effy says:
Neither of the three is the answer. What Nokia needs to do is fulfill that “promise” to customize Windows Phone to set it apart from the competition.
Abiel says:
How about Apps? That’s the deal breaker for me. Even if Nokia have a great handset at reasonable price but failed to deliver in the app department then I’m still not going to buy a Nokia WP7. Just look at BlackBerries, they’re certainly great handset and at a reasonable price but very limited apps that’s why a lot of BB user are switching to either an iPhone or Android phones.
emansky says:
being fond of wp7, what I’m looking forward for Nokia to put on the table for the WP7 is Nokia Maps which is currently only available to Lumias but rumors are it’s coming to the marketplace to be available for all wp devices.
…Bing maps, admittedly, is currently next to useless
Pipo says:
I’d get a windows phone just because none of my friends use one. Haha
Ren says:
I agree with Pipo! posting wall comments in FB will set u standing tall among Android, BB and iPhone (kuno! but using ipod touch) users! Cheers!
wp7 says:
Tama! Para maging ‘others’ ka. Loser!
miongb says:
me too!