Opinionated comments on mobile phone industry news
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All entries are written by Anders Borg, CEO and Consultant of Abiro, that has a long experience in strategic planning, developing embedded and Java software, usability aspects, and the mobile phone industry in general. You can also read the latest Mobile News entries on your phone via wap.abiro.com, and we provide many News Feeds from popular news services. For advertising and contribution queries, please use the feedback form. News feed (local) FeedBurner Feed
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Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Phones for developing markets sold also to developed
How To Boost Your Handset Margins points out that Nokia sells phones for developing markets to developed ditto (slightly modified) and that way increases margins. From a business perspective that makes sense, right?
I actually consider it an excellent strategy by Nokia, and I'm sure Motorola will deploy the same strategy to fight current losses:
I actually consider it an excellent strategy by Nokia, and I'm sure Motorola will deploy the same strategy to fight current losses:
- It re-uses existing technology and design, hence quick and inexpensive to deploy more broadly. There’s no down-side, except possibly increased logistics due to even more phone models.
- It compensates for some of the losses in the developing markets.
- Most people only need (not saying they necessarily buy) a basic phone, and that goes for people anywhere in the world. Phones being status symbols kills that argument, but in a perfect fluffy fairy tale dream world it would hold true.
- Basic phones like this are excellent for prepaid.
- They are less of a burden cost-wise for operators.
- “Basic” is a relative term. These phones are very far from basic if what you need is only voice calls, SMS and a phone book. They have plenty more features than that.
- The UI/usability of such simpler phones tends to be better than on more advanced. It’s not given, it’s just what I’ve experienced. Less/simpler features typically means easier access to those features. They also tend to have more practical, less designed, keypads.
- As most such phones support downloadable ringtones, MIDlets etc, there’s still a considerable after-market, creating revenue beyond the phone sales.
Nokia 3109 Classic: Lack of a camera is a bummer and the display resolution is pretty low (128*160), but they at least didn't skimp on Java features:
- MIDP 2.0
- CLDC 1.1
- JSR 120 Wireless Messaging API
- JSR 135 Mobile Media API
- JSR 172 Web Services API
- JSR 177 Security and Trust Services API
- JSR 184 Mobile 3D Graphics API
- JSR 185 JTWI
- JSR 205 Wireless Messaging API
- JSR 226 Scalable 2D Vector Graphics API
- JSR 234 Advanced Multimedia Supplements
- JSR 75 FileConnection and PIM API
- JSR 82 Bluetooth API
- Nokia UI API
