John Paczkowski

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Nokia: “By 2011…We Will Be at Par With Apple and RIM”

January 4, 2010 at 6:44 am PT

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giantnokia-150x150Nokia’s quest for relevance in the smartphone market will soon come to fruition, though perhaps not as quickly as the company’s shareholders would like. Nokia, which saw its smartphone market share slip to 35 percent from 41 percent in its latest quarter, will reverse that decline by 2011. In fact, according to Rick Simonson, head of the company’s mobile division, Nokia is already well on its way to recovery.

“Yes, we have lost ground in the smartphone space over the past 18 months, but the decline has stopped and stablised in the second and third quarters of 2009,” Simonson told India’s Economic Times. “The New Year will see [our] recovery in smartphones with the introduction of Maemo and the stabilisation of the Symbian operating system, which by the way, continues to be the platform for the largest number of smartphones, globally.”

Of course, to really drive that recovery, Nokia (NOK) needs a super-smartphone that can compete with the likes of Apple’s (AAPL) iPhone and Research in Motion’s (RIMM) BlackBerry. The company’s latest efforts on that front–the N97, for example–haven’t quite been up to snuff.

Well, just you wait: “By 2011, our efforts will start producing results, as we will be at par with Apple and RIM in smartphones,” said Simonson. “Not only [will] we draw level with them, we will also win the war because, in addition to e-mail, we will be adding content, chat, music, entertainment and several other features, which will soon become very critical for success of any company in this space.”

Hey, if you’re going to dream, dream big, right?

Tagged with: 2009, 2011, Apple, BlackBerry, digital, Economic Times, entertainment, hardware, India, innovation, iPhone, John Paczkowski, Maemo, market share, N97, Nokia, operating system, platform, recovery, Research in Motion, Rick Simonson, RIM, shareholders, smartphone, super-smartphone, Symbian, telecom

comments so far. Add yours.

  • Guest

    Problem here is that Simonson knows nothing about this space as it is not in a spreadsheet. He seriously thinks that far out 2011 adding music, chat and content will be modern? We have that now with iPhone, Android, and even RIM. Get a clue Simonson.

  • Anonymous

    “Hey, if you’re going to dream, dream big, right?”

    Dreaming is right. It’s funny how he makes a big deal out of content when they have none and Apple has it all.

    Crack is whack Sven.

  • utterlyshocked

    Unbelievable – does Simonson actually draw a salary? Is it higher than what the receptionist makes? If so, he's ripping off Nokia big time. I bet every single minimum wage Nokian knows that to say “we will draw even with Apple” without mentioning an app store and a plan to lure developers is pure idiocy.

    In addition to email they'll have 5-6 other apps? That will be even with Apple? Which Apple product is he targeting, the Newton? I bet his kid is RUNNING to the court house to change his name to “Simonson – not related to the clueless Nokia executive”.

    He's right about 1 thing – those 5-6 other apps will become critical for any company in the space – of providing free, throw-away, entry level incentive phones. But Smartphones? It appears true smartphones might as well only exist on Mars as far a Nokia is concerned, and they have yet to invent the telescope.

  • davebarnes

    @utterly,
    Wow! Awesome! I managed to keep a straight face until I got to Mars.

  • thomcarl

    Money talks BS walks.

  • dlorenzet

    “we will be adding content, chat, music, entertainment and several other features,” Is this guy serious? Has he ever used an iPhone — which has all of those features now, and integrates them expertly. And add to the list gaming and navigation.

    Nokia's smartphone market share is based upon an ancient definition of 'smartphone' — nothing up to snuff with the likes of today's iPhone, RIM or Android technologies.

    Don't place a bet on Nokia in 2011, especially with a clueless leader like this guy in charge.

  • gqb

    'On Par' with Apple… where they are now or where they'll be in 2 years? Apple ain't standing still, guys.
    BTW, in golf, only amateurs think 'par'. The pros (and Nokia is supposed to be pro, right?) think WAY under par. That's what Apple does.

  • macaddicted

    “…will soon become very critical.”

    Nah. Not critical at all to the iPhone.

  • pixcu

    Nokia will sell more than 500 million mobile phones this year. Its market share is appr 40%. All the wisdom comes when you know the facts. The others can play with their balls and have a dream.

  • http://enrique-gutierrez.com nrek

    Funny article. Anyone who knows anything about Nokia knows Simonson isn't the Smartphone-man for Nokia; he heads up Devices (in total); meaning – bringing “smart phone” features to non-smart phone devices.

    That's not coming up to par with Apple, that's resetting it.

  • JohnPaczkowski

    According to his bio, he's EVP of Mobile Phones and Devices. http://www.nokia.com/about-nok.....ove…

  • http://enrique-gutierrez.com nrek

    Exactly, point being – a majority of Nokia sales are non-smartphone devices. Leveling the playing field and blurring the line between smart/dumb devices is an interesting MO, IMO.

  • holyc2a

    Come on Nokia is a company that sent around this guy to collect all sorts of crazy ideas from people around the world. They had to do that, because unlike Apple they haven't a clue what their customers want.

    Two years from now Apple and RIM will have moved on, this is just an admission that Nokia will be two years behind in 2011.

  • davesmall

    Yea sure. And General Motors will be drawing even with Mercedes Benz at about the same time. And Burger King will be on par with Ruth's Chris too. Thanks for the laugh.

  • davesmall

    Yea sure. And General Motors will be drawing even with Mercedes Benz at about the same time. And Burger King will be on par with Ruth's Chris too. Thanks for the laugh.

  • mdc1138

    note, everything they list puts them on par with features from….2007. Note apps are not even mentioned, unless that is within “several other features”. Since (as of today) Apple clients have downloaded 3 BILLION apps, maybe they should pay some attention to that?

    To paraphrase, “By 2011, we should be caught up to Apple 2007.”

    Good luck with that. I know where my investment dollars will stay.