Nokia CEO Stephen Elop speaking early in 2011 at the Open Mobile Summit.
(Credit: Stephen Shankland/CNET) Nokia is excited about Windows phone - but instead of a large global launch, the Finnish company said that it launch its first phones with a mobile OS of Microsoft only in selected markets this year.
In view of global scale of Nokia and crucial in the Windows phone the company, this first measured might be a surprise. But Chief Executive Stephen Elop defended the plan while speaking to analysts after Nokia today reported better than expected financial results.
"We are being very deliberate in the sequence." This is a significant change in the Organization of how we sell and how we manufacture, "Elop said at the Conference call. "It is quite a long list of things to do," he said, referring to the language support for different parts of the world, the capacity of market and operator billing.
Another factor: Nokia is unnecessarily undermine its business with operating system Symbian, which long has been the flagship for business smartphones but which Elop has decided to phase out.
"We are very serious about how we first to launch a Windows phone in relation to the where Symbian is strong we get the right balance and the right Dynamics", said Elop. Elop should unveil the new phone next week at the Nokia World Conference in London.
Global launch schedule is not a problem with business partners, Elop said. "We are very pleased with the degree of support for the operator, with early signs of commitment and all the other factors," he said.
The Windows phone agreement is indeed a profound change in the company. It has shucked its two main smartphone operating systems, Symbian and MeeGo and instead pay royalties to Microsoft licensing. But Microsoft will pay Nokia directly for activities such as marketing, and Nokia will indirectly benefit thus, Elop said.
Specifically, Microsoft plans exit next year 8 Windows - what Elop called "large Windows."
"We go to the wire of time see on hundreds of millions of PCs and tablets." Returning to the overall power Microsoft will have on the market [and to] ourselves as a lead vendor "device Windows Phone, said.
New Nokia alliance however has a big disadvantage. iOS and Android are designed for tablets, a new growth market, but is not Windows phone 7. It is an analyst asked, will be Nokia offers a tablet of Windows 8, too?
Elop would not commit.
"From the point of view of the ecosystem, the beneftis and synergies that exist between Windows and Windows Phone," Elop said. "We see this opportunity." "We will certainly consider these opportunities for the future."
Phone Windows gives Nokia "an ability to differentiate," with its own design of hardware components, applications and services, and differentiation means a higher gross margin – a key measure of profitability.
"This is our first entry in the space of Windows Phone," said Elop. "Our ability to make a difference with the software increases with time we work with our partners of Microsoft."
Windows for Nokia phone model will be a high-end product, but of course that more are planned - a "series devices that extend on price bands, all cascading two up and down," he said.
That Nokia is not the only Windows phone player, the company is more concerned by the forces of holders market smartphone.
"As see you our first product launch, you will see the first signs of differentiation from the iPhone and Android and other players in the Windows phone ecosystem." The first most important is for us that the latter, "said Elop.
Through CNET News
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