Nokia World: Next billion? Try five billion
Nokia’s launch sheds light on the company’s growth strategy in developing economies.
People attend a Nokia launch ceremony in Abu Dhabi October 22, 2013. PHOTO: REUTERS
ABU DHABI:
Nokia hosted NokiaWorld on October 22nd, the cellphone company’s last such event before the impending takeover by Microsoft. Most of the announcements were already leaked weeks prior, and held no surprises; however the event did illuminate Nokia’s attention to developing markets.
Nokia launched additions to its Lumia series, with the Lumia 1520 and 1320, the new Asha line with Asha 500, Asha 502, and the 3G compatible Asha 503. Fans were excited to see the much rumoured Nokia tablet finally revealed as the Lumia 2520, along with news of Whatsapp, Vine, Instagram and other long awaited apps finally coming to Nokia.
The theme, as founder of ‘Whatsapp’ Jan Coop said at the event, was to find the ‘next billion’. With the Asha series, Nokia hopes to attract customers from developing markets to choose the Asha series as their first smartphone. Priced between $69-$99, the line is central to Nokia’s strategy of increasing volumes in the low cost, ‘feature phone’ segment.
The phone’s themselves are sturdy and durable, as with most of Nokia’s products. The Asha 500 has a 2 megapixel camera, while the 502 and 503 have 5 megapixel cameras, and according to Nokia officials have a standby battery life of up to 30 days.
Targeting first time users, Nokia wants this phone to be the first ‘internet experience’ for the consumers that have never used smarthphones.
“Social networking and usage in Pakistan and the rest of the region has increased a lot so people expect more,” said Calin Turcanu, Head of Mobile Phones at Nokia.
Turcanu claims that with the 3G auction coming up in Pakistan, there are increasing opportunities for such phones in Pakistan. The phone is designed to be easy to learn and use, and sturdy enough specifically for customers who are used to the legendary Nokia phones like the 3310s.
“When we evolved user interfaces, we didn’t just evolve in terms of looks,” said Turcanu. “We know that there are many people for whom Asha will be the first smartphone, and if this (Asha) scares them they will say this (smartphones) is not for me,” Turcanu explains passionately.
For the most part, the Asha series will include most of the apps available on their high end cousins, lacking of course only in specifics features that require very heavy processors.
If compared to local cheap alternatives in both Pakistan and the rest of the developing economies, however, the phone pales in comparison to its Android using competitors. Small and ‘pocketable’, the Asha series dwarf in screen size, and in some cases processing power, to their competitors.
To convince consumers, especially those with little knowledge of smartphones to choose the small Asha over its competitors will be difficult. However Nokia has chosen to concentrate on durability, and their renowned camera technology, in stark contrast to its competitors.
“The strategy we have chosen is differentiation,” said Tuula Rytila, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing officer at Nokia.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 23rd, 2013.
Nokia hosted NokiaWorld on October 22nd, the cellphone company’s last such event before the impending takeover by Microsoft. Most of the announcements were already leaked weeks prior, and held no surprises; however the event did illuminate Nokia’s attention to developing markets.
Nokia launched additions to its Lumia series, with the Lumia 1520 and 1320, the new Asha line with Asha 500, Asha 502, and the 3G compatible Asha 503. Fans were excited to see the much rumoured Nokia tablet finally revealed as the Lumia 2520, along with news of Whatsapp, Vine, Instagram and other long awaited apps finally coming to Nokia.
The theme, as founder of ‘Whatsapp’ Jan Coop said at the event, was to find the ‘next billion’. With the Asha series, Nokia hopes to attract customers from developing markets to choose the Asha series as their first smartphone. Priced between $69-$99, the line is central to Nokia’s strategy of increasing volumes in the low cost, ‘feature phone’ segment.
The phone’s themselves are sturdy and durable, as with most of Nokia’s products. The Asha 500 has a 2 megapixel camera, while the 502 and 503 have 5 megapixel cameras, and according to Nokia officials have a standby battery life of up to 30 days.
Targeting first time users, Nokia wants this phone to be the first ‘internet experience’ for the consumers that have never used smarthphones.
“Social networking and usage in Pakistan and the rest of the region has increased a lot so people expect more,” said Calin Turcanu, Head of Mobile Phones at Nokia.
Turcanu claims that with the 3G auction coming up in Pakistan, there are increasing opportunities for such phones in Pakistan. The phone is designed to be easy to learn and use, and sturdy enough specifically for customers who are used to the legendary Nokia phones like the 3310s.
“When we evolved user interfaces, we didn’t just evolve in terms of looks,” said Turcanu. “We know that there are many people for whom Asha will be the first smartphone, and if this (Asha) scares them they will say this (smartphones) is not for me,” Turcanu explains passionately.
For the most part, the Asha series will include most of the apps available on their high end cousins, lacking of course only in specifics features that require very heavy processors.
If compared to local cheap alternatives in both Pakistan and the rest of the developing economies, however, the phone pales in comparison to its Android using competitors. Small and ‘pocketable’, the Asha series dwarf in screen size, and in some cases processing power, to their competitors.
To convince consumers, especially those with little knowledge of smartphones to choose the small Asha over its competitors will be difficult. However Nokia has chosen to concentrate on durability, and their renowned camera technology, in stark contrast to its competitors.
“The strategy we have chosen is differentiation,” said Tuula Rytila, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing officer at Nokia.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 23rd, 2013.