Now that RIM, Nokia and Microsoft have new smartphones to challenge Apple and Google, a question of platform investment comes into play. At what point do consumers feel they’ve spent too much on mobile apps for one device to keep them from switching operating systems?
Nokia’s newest smartphone comes in the form of the Nokia N8, a GSM touchscreen device with the brand new Symbian^3 operating system. Even with the improvements shown in the N8, several key user experience aspects keep it at least a step or two behind the competition.
Nokia has lost another high-level resource as Ari Jaaksi, head of MeeGo devices, is leaving the company. The timing of Jaaksi’s departure is just months prior the anticipated launch of Nokia’s first MeeGo device, which the company intends for the high-end smartphone and handheld market.
Our Nokia N8 review unit just arrived, so here’s an early video look at what’s in the box and some features of the N8’s hardware and software. The N8 is likely the best phone that Nokia has ever built, but we’re already seeing some software quirks.
Nokia today announced a developer contest offering up $10 million to the winners. AT&T is partnering as a judge and application entries must run on the new Nokia N8, which does support AT&T’s network. Might this be Nokia’s foot in the door to the U.S. market?
Nokia’s N8 smartphone is slightly delayed, as customers are now expecting the Symbian^3 device to arrive in October while Nokia “makes amends.” The situation illustrates that managing expectations for a near-global audience may be a bigger a challenge for Nokia than developing competitive products and services.
