Apple have been known to be a stickler for timing but in a surprise move has given us a preview of their keynote address for the forthcoming event on Monday 6 June. Read the rest of this entry »

Nokia lowers Devices & Services second quarter 2011 outlook and updates full year 2011 outlook

Published May 31, 2011
Nokia Corporation
Stock exchange release
May 31, 2011 at 15:00 (CET +1)

Espoo, Finland – Nokia today commented on factors impacting its business and updated its second quarter and full year 2011 outlook for Devices & Services. During the second quarter 2011, multiple factors are negatively impacting Nokia’s Devices & Services business to a greater extent than previously expected. These factors include:

- the competitive dynamics and market trends across multiple price categories, particularly in China and Europe;
- a product mix shift towards devices with lower average selling prices and lower gross margins; and
- pricing tactics by Nokia and certain competitors.

Updated outlook for Devices & Services for the second quarter 2011:
- Nokia now expects Devices & Services net sales to be substantially below its previously expected range of EUR 6.1 billion to EUR 6.6 billion for the second quarter 2011. This update is primarily due to lower than previously expected average selling prices and mobile device volumes.
- Nokia now expects Devices & Services non-IFRS operating margin to be substantially below its previously expected range of 6% to 9% for the second quarter 2011. This update is primarily due to lower than previously expected net sales. While visibility is very limited, Nokia’s current view is that second quarter 2011 Devices & Services non-IFRS operating margin could be around breakeven.

Updated outlook for Devices & Services for the full year 2011:
- Given the unexpected change in our outlook for the second quarter, Nokia believes it is no longer appropriate to provide annual targets for 2011. However, Nokia expects to continue to provide short-term quarterly forecasts in its interim reports as well as annual targets when circumstances allow it to do so.
- Nokia’s previous targets for the third quarter, fourth quarter, and full year 2011 were: 1) Net sales in Devices & Services to be at approximately the same level in the third quarter 2011 as in the second quarter 2011, and seasonally higher in the fourth quarter 2011, compared to the third quarter 2011; 2) Devices & Services non-IFRS operating margin to be between 6% and 9% in 2011. These targets are no longer valid.

Nokia is taking immediate action to address the issues that are impacting its Devices & Services business. Nokia’s high-level strategic objectives and targets remain unchanged.

- Nokia is continuing to invest to bring new innovative capabilities to its Symbian line up. In addition, Nokia has taken price actions on its current smartphone portfolio, and Nokia is intensifying its focus on retail point-of-sales marketing.
- Nokia started shipping its new dual-SIM devices last week.
- Nokia remains pleased with its progress on its Windows Phone strategy, and has increased confidence that the first Nokia product with Windows Phone will ship in the fourth quarter 2011.
- Nokia remains committed to its target to reduce its Devices & Services non-IFRS operating expenses by EUR 1 billion for the full year 2013, compared to the full year 2010, and plans to implement these reductions as quickly and effectively as possible.
- After the transition, Nokia continues to target Devices & Services net sales to grow faster than the market and Devices & Services non-IFRS operating margin to be 10% or more.

“Strategy transitions are difficult. We recognize the need to deliver great mobile products, and therefore we must accelerate the pace of our transition,” said Stephen Elop, president and CEO of Nokia. “Our teams are aligned, and we have increased confidence that we will ship our first Nokia product with Windows Phone in the fourth quarter 2011.”

Nokia will provide its second quarter results and more details when it reports its Q2 2011 results on July 21, 2011.

Nokia will be hosting a conference call at 13:30 UK time (8:30 EST). The dial-in number for media (listen only – the question and answer session will be limited to financial analysts and investors only) is +1 706 634 5012. Conference ID: 72156605.

The dial-in number for financial analysts and investors is US: +1 888 636 1561. Conference ID: 72156605. UK: +44 1452 560 299. Conference ID: 72175614.

A replay of the call will be available soon after the call completion. The replay number is US: +1 800 642 1687. Conference ID: 72156605. UK: +44 1452 55 0000. Conference ID: 72175614.

It was on and then it was off. The Nokia Ovi Map Workshop was in the dire situation of having finished before it started. The ash cloud in Iceland travelled across the United Kingdom and caused chaos in Edinburgh with the closure of the airport on Tuesday, 24 May. Read the rest of this entry »

The fight is on to get the Berlinmapsters to Germany on Thursday, 26 May, ahead of the ash cloud and safe to the Nokia Mapworkshop. This time last year a similar Nokia event was cancelled for the same reason.  We are hopeful to get to travel but the problem may be that the airport in Berlin may close before we arrive

Symbian Anna will be on the first of Nokia’s new handsets the E6 and the X7.

Symbian Anna

- Faster and better web experience with an all new browser.
- The long-awaited portrait QWERTY plus split screen text input.
- All new Ovi Maps with public transport routes and other enhancements.

Symbian Anna will be coming to other symbian^3 handsets in the coming months.

WhatsApp Messenger for iPhone is free for a very limited time. Happy summer!

WhatsApp allows you to send messages, files and have group chats across different operating systems to android, iPhone and symbian handsets.

Stephen Elope CEO at Nokia, states Nokia are committed to providing updates, customer support and all that it entails until 2016.  This puts the ‘cat amongst the pigeons’ for those who timed symbian with an early death.  I look forward to Nokia and Microsoft staying committed as promised, particularly in view of the fact that a high number of symbian handsets are still on sale and customers are still purchasing symbian smartphones.

What is it with phone colours?

Who in their right mind would buy a phone just because it is becomes available in a new colour, ‘white’ or even worse, an intense ‘pink’. Surely owning the black version of the same phone a few months earlier, you would not purchase it again just because of a colour change? Or would you? Read the rest of this entry »

The Berlinmapsters are to arrive in Berlin, Germany, on 26 May for the Nokia Ovi Maps Workshop.  Read more about my participation here.

PingChat! states the service works over wifi, 3g and Edge.  PingChat! is a highly popular IM service. PingChat! provides free, unlimited, cross-platform, smartphone-to-smartphone messaging, with real-time conversations, group chat, media sharing, and much more. Difficulties arose several months ago with the ports being blocked by Vodafone with users like myself being unable to use the service while out of wifi range. However, Vodafone insisted it was a PingChat! problem. Read on for more information and a full review here.