Nokia's Windows Phone transition to impact results for most of 2012
Nokia chairman Jorma Ollila warned on Wednesday that the handset maker's transition to Microsoft's Windows Phone mobile operating system will be felt in its earnings for the majority of 2012.
"For a significant part of the year the transition will be seen in the results," Ollila told Finnish broadcaster YLE, as noted by Reuters.
Nokia reported a 73 percent plunge in earnings last week after selling just one million of its Lumia-branded Windows Phones during the two months of availability in the fourth quarter. At the time, the company disappointed analysts by guiding for a break-even first quarter of calendar 2012.
Ollila's comments would appear to suggest that the company expects Windows Phone sales to have a slow ramp throughout 2012. Nokia has already endured a year of transition, as it first announced its plan to abandon its Symbian operating system and partner up with Microsoft for its smartphones last February.
During that time, Nokia lost its title as the world's largest smartphone maker. According to estimates from Strategy Analytics, the Finnish company sold 28.3 million smartphones in the fourth quarter of 2010 and just 19.6 million in the fourth quarter of 2011. By comparison, Apple experienced surging growth during the same period, rising from 16.2 million in Q4 2010 to a record 37 million in the last quarter of 2011.
The chairman, who will step down in May, remains optimistic that Nokia and Microsoft will be able to crack the current Apple/Google dominance of the smartphone market.
"Nokia will make it into the three, its completely obvious and the first signs are already there," Ollila said. "None of the operating systems have taken off quickly. It will take time, as we have seen, and as was expected."
"When looking at the bigger picture, it shows that three operating systems will dominate in the near future and each of them will have one strong manufacturer, with Nokia having a very good chance to be one of the three," he continued.
Nokia's new Lumia 800 (left) and Lumia 710 are its first Windows Phones.
Nokia is hoping to make a marketing push in the U.S. with the release of its flagship Lumia 900 smartphone later this year. Recent leaks suggest that AT&T will begin selling the device in March.
Comments
The chairman, who will step down in May, remains optimistic that Nokia and Microsoft will be able to crack the current Apple/Google dominance of the smartphone market.
Windows Phones might not be as bad as Android, but only Apple haters would even consider getting one.
The ecosystem is not even a fraction of Apple's, and it locks you in to giving Microsoft profits every time you buy an app, instead of helping Apple to make better products.
It is not better than iOS in any way. But some people will insist that they "just like it" because they don't want Apple and Android is so horrible.
Windows Phones might not be as bad as Android, but only Apple haters would even consider getting one.
The ecosystem is not even a fraction of Apple's, and it locks you in to giving Microsoft profits every time you buy an app, instead of helping Apple to make better products.
It is not better than iOS in any way. But some people will insist that they "just like it" because they don't want Apple and Android is so horrible.
And because someone likes something you don't they are wrong?
I like Pizza you like Hamburgers.... is there anything wrong with that?
I cannot imagine what kind of person would choose Windows Phone before the several alternatives, and why.
I'm the kind of person that would choose WP7.5 over Android or any other alternative, save for the iPhone. I'm also choose the Lumia 800 or 900 for the HW over any other alternative, save for the iPhone.
Windows Phones might not be as bad as Android, but only Apple haters would even consider getting one.
The ecosystem is not even a fraction of Apple's, and it locks you in to giving Microsoft profits every time you buy an app, instead of helping Apple to make better products.
It is not better than iOS in any way. But some people will insist that they "just like it" because they don't want Apple and Android is so horrible.
Hogwash.
Edit: And it's Zizzer Zazzer Zuzz, for the record.
'Nokia's Windows Phone transition to impact results for most of 2012'
Hogwash.
Edit: And it's Zizzer Zazzer Zuzz, for the record.
I always thought it was zither zather zuzz. Thanks for the correction
I always thought it was zither zather zuzz. Thanks for the correction
My daughter's Dr. Seuss's ABC iPad app confirms that "I'm a Zizzer-Zazzer-Zuzz as you can plainly see." I mentioned the discrepancy last week to Zither but never got a response.
My daughter's Dr. Seuss's ABC iPad app confirms that "I'm a Zizzer-Zazzer-Zuzz as you can plainly see." I mentioned the discrepancy last week to Zither but never got a response.
I am NOT a Zizzer Zazzer Zuzz, as you can plainly see.
I'm the kind of person that would choose WP7.5 over Android or any other alternative, save for the iPhone. I'm also choose the Lumia 800 or 900 for the HW over any other alternative, save for the iPhone.
See, that's exactly my point, for you it would be a second choice at best, as would for most people. I don't think that tech enthusiasts willing to spend on a second device are a very large proportion of people, and certainly not enough to make WP7 successful. Most people would go with an iPhone or an Android as their single smartphone.
The idea of hating a Microsoft products is so 90s.
Keep in mind Microsoft sponsors a lot of innovation - kinect, TED, etc.
Apple - meh.
And iOS come on - whats changed since 2007?!
Wake up fanbois, Apple is trendy, not innovative. Anymore.
Stop thinking Apple has THE only ecosystem now. A zillion apps is great but whens the last time you actually paid for one?
I am NOT a Zizzer Zazzer Zuzz, as you can plainly see.
That is sooo hard to say fast!
I am NOT a Zizzer Zazzer Zuzz, as you can plainly see.
That's where I got the bad spelling from!~ It's your fault!
I had the rare opportunity to try the phone in the UK and have had interactions with a NOkia lead engineer here in the US. The Nokia phone is awesome. Even the tech bloggers like it.
The idea of hating a Microsoft products is so 90s.
Keep in mind Microsoft sponsors a lot of innovation - kinect, TED, etc.
Apple - meh.
And iOS come on - whats changed since 2007?!
Wake up fanbois, Apple is trendy, not innovative. Anymore.
Stop thinking Apple has THE only ecosystem now. A zillion apps is great but whens the last time you actually paid for one?
I wonder if it will simply decimate Android and have little effect on iOS?
I had the rare opportunity to try the phone in the UK and have had interactions with a NOkia lead engineer here in the US. The Nokia phone is awesome. Even the tech bloggers like it.
The idea of hating a Microsoft products is so 90s.
Keep in mind Microsoft sponsors a lot of innovation - kinect, TED, etc.
Apple - meh.
And iOS come on - whats changed since 2007?!
Wake up fanbois, Apple is trendy, not innovative. Anymore.
Stop thinking Apple has THE only ecosystem now. A zillion apps is great but whens the last time you actually paid for one?
Seems the vast majority disagrees with you. Windows Phone is a complete failure in the marketplace, because it is horrible. The UI failed on the Zune, so it sure was smart to bring it to a phone. Oh and btw - Microsoft did not invent the technology behind Kinect...they licensed it from a company called Prime Sense (http://www.primesense.com/).
So, no Microsoft does not innovate...they copy. And they fail miserably at it.
I wonder if it will simply decimate Android and have little effect on iOS?
Why would it? WP7 is another closed-source OS with an unyielding file system that is unlikely to be chosen consciously by an Android user.
Just get on with it.
Seems the vast majority disagrees with you. Windows Phone is a complete failure in the marketplace, because it is horrible. The UI failed on the Zune, so it sure was smart to bring it to a phone. Oh and btw - Microsoft did not invent the technology behind Kinect...they licensed it from a company called Prime Sense (http://www.primesense.com/).
So, no Microsoft does not innovate...they copy. And they fail miserably at it.
So much wrong with your reaction, where should I start.
Post did not say MS invented kinect, but sponsored the innovation (by giving it a podium with xbox).
Windows Phone is not the same UI as Zune and it's (personal opinion) not horrible. Read some reviews from indepedent parties, almost all reviews are very positive about WP7.5.
A complete failure in the marketplace by introducing for instance the lumia 800 in a limited number of european countries and selling 1 million of them in 2 months. Not ios sales, but certainly not a complete failure.
Also, you should take a good look at all the inventions of Apple, most where licensed or bought. No problem there, at least not with me. That's the way how things work.