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Posts Tagged ‘ Nokia ’

Nokia Joins Battle for Mobile Web, Buys Novarra

By Fei on March 30, 2010

By Tony Bradley
March 30, 2010

SAN FRANCISCO – Nokia–the world’s leading manufacturer of mobile phones–announced that it is acquiring Novarra–a privately-held Chicago-based mobile Web browser developer. The purchase moves Nokia into the increasingly contentious mobile browser battle.

In a statement about the acquisition, Nokia declares “Novarra’s mobile browser and services platform will be used by Nokia to deliver enhanced Internet experiences on Nokia mobile devices.” Novarra will enable Nokia to deliver an improved mobile Web experience to customers. However, the Novarra acquisition will probably have little effect on customers in the United States.

While Nokia is the largest maker of mobile phones in the world, it plays a more obscure role in the market in America. The most recent comScore survey places Nokia in fourth place for mobile phones in the United States, with just over nine percent market share.

Drilling down more specifically to smartphones, Nokia isn’t even on the radar. RIM’s BlackBerry is the leading smartphone platform in the U.S., followed by the iPhone, Windows Mobile, and Android. Even Palm’s faltering WebOS platform manages a fifth place position with nearly six percent of the smartphone market.

“Connecting the next billion consumers to the Internet will happen primarily on mobile devices,” said Niklas Savander, executive vice president of Services for Nokiain the Nokia statement, adding “and delivering an optimized internet experience on our devices is core to our mission. By driving innovation in all segments of our portfolio, we are building one of the largest consumer audiences for web services and content. Novarra’s Internet services technology delivered on the world’s most widely-used mobile platform, Nokia’s Series 40, will help us achieve this.”

To its credit, Nokia has been working aggressively to regain some swagger and find the edge it once had among mobile phones. Nokia is engaged in a back and forth legal struggle with Apple over patent infringement allegations–Nokia claims Apple is violating its patents, and Apple accuses Nokia of the same. Nokia also formed an alliance with Intel to combine their Linux-based mobile operating systems to create MeeGo.
Opera might have been a better acquisition for Nokia. I expect it would have cost significantly more, but it would have given Nokia an established mobile browser ready to compete on a broad range of smartphone platforms–including the iPhone if Apple approves Opera’s app.

While the Novarra Web browser may not make much of a splash in the United States, the Novarra technology is indicative of the direction that mobile Web browsers are going to meet the needs of next-generation smartphones and mobile platforms like the iPad.

Wireless broadband bandwidth is crowded, and most data plans charge per megabyte or have a maximum download capacity per month. Web browsers like Novarra’s, that can compress data for faster rendering and less bandwidth consumption, give smartphones an edge over competition.

Business professionals on the go need a mobile Web browser that is able to maximize the available wireless bandwidth and deliver a blazing fast Web surfing experience from a mobile platform. Browsers like Opera and Novarra provide the innovative technology necessary to meet those demands.

Novarra is not built on Webkit–the de facto standard rendering engine for smartphone platforms. However, Novarra has a Youtube video demonstrating that its Vision browser actually renders Web pages faster than competing mobile browsers designed on Webkit.

The Vision browser supports Adobe Flash, and includes other innovative features like password management, and the ability to manipulate Web pages to fit the screen of the device being used.

Novarra currently works with Nokia, Motorola, Samsung, LG, and other mobile phone manufacturers–providing Nokia with an established client portfolio for its new mobile Web browser.

Will Apple’s Patents Banish HTC Phones?

By Fei on March 5, 2010

By Jared Newman
March 5, 2010

SAN FRANCISCO – Weighing the potential outcomes of Apple’s patent infringement lawsuit against HTC, several IP and patent lawyers say HTC’s phones could be barred from the United States, but both sides will probably look for a licensing agreement before getting to that point.

To recap, Apple sued HTC for allegedly infringing 20 patents in its mobile phones. The lawsuit calls out popular Android phones such as the Google Nexus One and the Droid Eris, but also mentions the Windows Mobile-powered Imagio. What makes this lawsuit particularly interesting is that Apple filed with the U.S. International Trade Commission, which has the power to stop infringing products from being imported stateside, as well as the U.S. District Court in Delaware.

Of course, it’s impossible to say whether Apple can win without having an attorney spend days or weeks looking through the individual claims, but Jason Webb, patent attorney for Webb IP Law Group, thinks Apple has reason to be confident. “It makes a huge difference that it is twenty patents instead of just one,” he wrote in a e-mail. Michael Downs, a partner in the patent law firm Fincham Downs LLC, agreed, noting that Apple has used some of the same patents in a counter-lawsuit against Nokia.

So let’s just assume that Apple’s lawsuit has merit. Experts say an injunction is possible, but not guaranteed.

Alex Poltorak, chairman of the General Patent Corporation, which represents independent inventors against large companies, lays out a juicy scenario: If the trade commission rules in favor of Apple, HTC would have little choice but to license Apple’s patents. Apple would then have the option to crush HTC in the United States by refusing to license, resulting in an injunction.

There is a chance HTC could modify its phones to the point that they no longer infringe Apple’s patents, but the attorneys I contacted wonder whether this is even possible. With a such a large number of patents, some of them quite broad, it’ll really depend on the trade commission’s ruling. In any case, HTC would have to work with Google to banish any infringing features, said Webb.

Alan Tenenbaum, a patent litigation attorney with Cohen, Pontani, Lieberman & Pavane LLP, offers a different take: HTC and Google aren’t foolish, and they’re surely prepared to make their own claims against Apple. As HTC noted in response to the lawsuit, it has its own stable of patents. Tenenbaum says the case could either be settled quickly out of court, or escalated with both sides making counterclaims against each other and eventually negotiating a settlement. In both cases, the likely result would be a cross-licensing deal — a boring outcome, perhaps, but one that seems reasonable.

That jives with a the opinion of Mark A. Goldstein of SoCal IP Law Group. He’s surprised Apple filed so many claims, because doing so makes litigation “unworkable.” A license or cross-license of patents seems like the most likely outcome to him.

Several attorneys said this case won’t take long to resolve, at least on the injunction side. Downs said the trade commission usually rules on cases in 15 months, compared to two or three years for District Courts. Peter Toren, lead IP partner with Kasowitz, Benson, Torres & Friedman LLP and formerly with the Department of Justice’s Computer Crime & IP unit, thinks a resolution is just six months away.

Given the response from these attorneys, I wouldn’t go stockpiling Nexus Ones just yet.

Touchscreen smartphones up 138%

By Fei on February 11, 2010

By Lexton Snol
February 11, 2009

LONDON – For the first time ever, smartphones with touch screens accounted for more than half of all smartphone shipments globally in Q4 2009, taking 55 percent of the market.
According to the latest Canalys estimates, touch-screen smartphone shipments were up 138 percent year on year in Q4, reaching almost 30 million units, in a quarter where overall smartphone market growth stood at 41 percent.

Canalys puts total touch-screen smartphone shipments for the year at over 75 million, more than double the 2008 figure. Total smartphone shipments in 2009 hit a new peak of 166 million units.

“Looking at the whole of 2009, it is no great surprise to see Apple at the top of the table of leading vendors of touch-screen smartphones,” said Canalys analyst Tim Shepherd.

“But Nokia stands out as a very close second, seeing tremendous growth thanks to models such as the Nokia 5800 and N97. And Nokia was actually the leading vendor by volume of touch-screen smartphones in the final quarter of the year.”

After Apple and Nokia, HTC and Samsung took the third and fourth spots, though Canalys notes that Samsung also ships a lot of touch-screen mobile phones that are not smartphones.

Independent research conducted by Canalys with 4,000 consumers toward the end of last year showed that 60 percent of those interviewed wanted a touch-screen interface on their next mobile phone.

And although some existing users said they will switch back to a different interface, Canalys expects the overall shift toward touch screens to continue during 2010.

User interface (UI) design and the input technology vendors build into their handsets is a factor in attracting customers to particular devices, but Canalys points out that it is also key to enabling discovery, acquisition and usage of new applications and services.

“This is an area where Apple is still in an enviable leadership position, having built up a vast, easy-to-access library of content and applications that will help continue to drive the success of not only the iPhone, but also the other devices it launches, such as the iPad,” noted Canalys VP and principal analyst Chris Jones.

Explore the virtual BlackBerry

“For vendors with similar aspirations, attracting developers to their chosen smartphone platforms is an ongoing challenge, especially as more platforms and application stores launch onto the market.

“Developer bandwidth is as big an issue for this industry as network bandwidth. And if you get it right, you have a much more effective lock-in when that user comes to replace their device, it isn’t just about building new revenue streams.”

Canalys research shows that Symbian remained by far the largest smartphone OS by shipment volume in 2009, increasing in absolute terms despite losing share to the much faster growing RIM, Apple and Android.

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Canalys consumer research shows that the handset vendors whose users have the highest propensity to stay loyal to their current brand are Apple, Nokia and RIM.

“It is no coincidence that the brands with the highest churn inertia are also the leading smartphone makers,” added senior analyst Pete Cunningham.

“These devices typically demand, and reward, a higher level of time investment on the part of the user. If you have customized your device and set it up so that you can use your preferred email and social networking clients, navigation solution and other apps and content, then moving to a different platform becomes more inconvenient.”

The capabilities of smartphones continue to increase, further distancing their functionality from other mobile phones and enabling the creation of a broadening set of applications.

Canalys estimates that the proportion of smartphones with Wi-Fi rose to 84 percent in Q4, while 83 percent had integrated GPS and 43 percent featured integral keyboards – new highs in every case.

Apple, Nokia Battle in Court

By Fei on January 20, 2010

By Paul Suarez
January 20, 2009

SAN FRANCISCO – Apple escalated its legal battle with Nokia on Friday by submitting a request to ban imports of mobile phones from the Finnish manufacturer.

Apple’s request is the second filed to the International Trade Commission. Nokia filed a complaint last month saying virtually every Apple device violated seven patents held by Nokia.

The smartphone patent debacle started in October when Nokia sued Apple for allegedly infringing on ten of Nokia’s technology patents with the iPhone. Apple responded in December by countersuing Nokia, saying it was allegedly infringing on as many as 13 Apple patents.

Nokia spokesperson Mark Durrant responded to Bloomberg about Apple’s latest request via text message saying, “Nokia will study the complaint when it is received and continue to defend itself vigorously. However this does not alter the fact that Apple has failed to agree appropriate terms for using Nokia technology and has been seeking a free ride on Nokia’s innovation since it shipped the first iPhone in 2007.”

Nokia, the largest maker of mobile phones globally, has been losing market share over the past year as the popularity of the iPhone skyrocketed.

Competition via Court

Nokia would seem to be seeking compensation from the courtroom, a tactic that is being used more frequently in the tech industry.

The ITC sees numerous patent dispute cases a year (a PC World search reveals 63 stories about the ITC since 2006.)

Earlier this month the ITC agreed to investigate a patent claim from Prism Technologies filed against RIM over a method for controlling access to electronic data using an authentication server. Kodak also filed a claim against RIM and Apple alleging iPhones and BlackBerrys with cameras infringe on a Kodak patent that allows image previews.

An ITC investigation is a lengthy process, but it’s possible that Apple and Nokia might reach some sort of settlement as suits continue to escalate between the two companies. LG and Kodak settled an ITC dispute out of court in December with a cross-licensing agreement. Nokia and Apple could do the same.

It’s understandable that Nokia would seek compensation if it believes Apple is infringing on their patents. The company claims to have invested almost $90 Million over 20 years to develop cell phone technology.

Nokia launches Ovi Mail and new phones that help people get ahead with the Internet

By Jon on May 19, 2009

Ovi Mail

Nokia is bringing the Internet closer to reality in emerging markets with the new mobile phones and solutions that open the door to information, entertainment, family and friends. The Nokia 2330 classic is now available in stores while the Nokia 2323 classic, Nokia 2700 classic and Nokia 2730 classic will be commercially available soon. All these phones come Internet-ready and work with Ovi Mail, giving first-time e-mail users the opportunity to set up and start using an e-mail account (username@ovi.com) directly on their mobile phone.

“The power of the Internet is undeniable,” says William Hamilton-Whyte, general manager of Nokia Philippines. “We’ve seen mobile technologies catalize the growth of the informal sector across the world, empowering local entrepreneurs and having an immediate and lasting impact on people’s lives. Services like Ovi Mail, combines with the mobile phones we’re showcasing today, bring powerful solutions that can be the gateway to knowledge, entertainment and people, without the need for a PC.”

According to extensive Nokia consumer research, nearly half of the emerging market customers state that they would rather connect to the Internet over a mobile phone than a PC. As a result, Nokia has developed locally relevant solutions that consist of affordable mobile phones and applications, designed and built from the ground up to meet the specific needs of customers in the developing world. Hamilton-Whyte adds, “while many people are still primarily using voice and text, the Internet does offer a whole new range of opportunities. Ovi Mail has the potential to be the first digital identity for many people in emerging markets. Unlike most other e-mail services, an Ovi Mail account can be created and used directly on a Nokia device without ever having to use a PC. Since the launch of the beta stage of the service in December 2008, around 90% of the e-mail accounts have been created on a Nokia phone.”

Nokia 2323 classic and Nokia 2330 classic
Premium looks and practicality are the hallmarks of the Nokia 2323 classic and Nokia 2330 classic. These affordable devices support Ovi Mail. In addition, the Nokia 2323 classic offers an FM radio with recording, GPRS, Bluetooth and an Internet browser. With a choise of black or dark blue, the Nokia 2323 classic will make its debut in retail stores in June 2009. The Nokia 2330 classic is a low cost camera phone with a contemporary design and enhanced features, which include a VGA camera, Bluetooth and stereo radio recording, and support for MP3 ringtones. It comes in black or deep red and is available at all Nokia Stores and authorized dealers nationwide for P3,600.

Nokia 2700 classic

The Nokia 2700 classic is one of Nokia’s most affordable, full featured handsets. Offering up to 2GB of storage via the memory card slot, the phone also has an integrated digital music player and a 2.0megapixel camera, making it equally competent for imaging and music. The Nokia 2700 classic also allows users to set up an Ovi Mail account directly on their device. Anounced earlier this year, the device is to be released commercially in the third quarter of 2009.

Nokia 2730 classic

The Nokia 2730 classic, which works with Ovi Mail, is Nokia’s most affordable 3G phone offering faster access to the Internet and a richer browsing experience. With the steady spread of 3G data networks across the developing world, it’s ideal for staying connected with friends and family, and sharing one’s life with others. The Nokia 2700 classic is expected to be commercially available in the third quarter of 2009.

Hamilton-Whyte concludes, “With our longstanding commitment in emerging market, a Nokia customer can be confident that any product we offer meets a strict and consistent set of high-quality standards. This is particularly important in markets where technical assistance and repair shops are not easily accessible.”

IPhone Beware, The Nokia N97 Is Coming

By blogadmin on March 15, 2009

By Daniel Ionescu

PC World (US)

December 10, 2008

SAN FRANCISCO – After months of waiting, Nokia finally announced the N97, the company’s second (unreleased) device to challenge the iPhone and revive to the N-series to their former glory. With a 3.5″ touchscreen, 5-megapixel camera and 32GB of memory, the N97 is one phone worth waiting for in the New Year.

Expected spring next year, the N97 features a kick-out QWERTY keyboard that is hidden behind the phone’s 3.5″ – 16:9 aspect ratio – touchscreen. As a worthy iPhone competitor, the N97 rocks a 5-megapixel camera on the back with Carl Zeiss Tessar lens and dual LED flash. Also, unlike the iPhone or the T-Mobile G1, the N97 can capture video in DVD quality in 16:9 aspect ratio.

Storage-wise, the N97 does very well also. The phone comes with 32GB of on-board memory – that is twice the amount of memory the most expensive iPhone brings. As an extra, the capacity can be extended with microSD cards of up to 16GB, ranking up to a potential 48GB of storage on the N97.

Priced at around US$700 before carrier subsidies (simfree), the N97 is a 3G phone that can also do HSDPA speeds of 7.2Mb/s (obviously, if your carrier can handle it) and Wi-Fi. The usual flavor of A-GPS with an electronic compass is present, and if you plan to keep yourself entertained with this phone, Nokia says that the N97 can deliver up to 37 hours of music and 4.5 hours of video playback.

Now, even with all these high specs, a good mobile phone would be nothing without software – and Nokia seems to deliver a good offering in this category. The N97 runs on Symbian S50 5th Edition and brings the familiar interface from the (yet unreleased) 5800 Express Music, previously known as ‘Tube’.

What’s new from Nokia in the software side of things is the ability of having home screen widgets on the N97. Nokia says that these widgets will enable you to update social networks automatically with your status and location as well as related pictures or video.

Nokia will also start competing with Apple’s MobileMe service by launching new features for Ovi – the company’s social portal. N97 users will be able to have their own free Ovi email account and will be able to enjoy push-like email as well as calendar and contacts synchronizing – T-Mobile G1 style.

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