Posts Tagged ‘Nokia Inc’
Nokia Cuts Phone Prices as Market Growth Returns
Nokia cut phone prices across its portfolio in late January, putting its cheapest smartphones on a collision course with mid-range phones from rivals Samsung and Sony Ericsson.
Nokia said price changes were part of its normal, ongoing business. The world’s top cellphone maker usually cuts prices across its portfolio a few times each year. Several industry sources told Reuters Nokia had cut prices by up to 10 percent. After the price cut Nokia’s cheapest smartphone model, the 5230, retails for around 170 euros ($239) in Finland. The model’s wholesale price is now below 120 euros. Demand for cheaper smartphones has helped the segment grow despite the recession, defying the broader, weaker industry trend. Sales jumped 30 percent in the October-December quarter according to research firm Strategy Analytics. Nokia said last week that revenue from smartphones jumped 26 percent in the quarter from the previous quarter to 3.9 billion euros, helping power its overall result. The average wholesale price of its smartphones dipped to 186 euros from 190 euros in the third quarter.
The falling prices have hurt handset vendors like Sony Ericsson, who have focused on mid-range or feature phones, which often boast good cameras or music players but lack computer-like open operating systems. These have been cheaper than smartphones, but the price difference is declining fast. “This latest round of price adjustments sees Nokia taking its low-cost Symbian devices into new territory,” said Ben Wood, research director at CCS Insight, a British firm that tracks the wholesale prices of mobile phones in Europe. Nokia’s price cuts come as the industry returns to growth following a grim 2009 marked by recession-hit consumer demand. Nokia says it expects the cellphone market to grow 10 percent this year.
Skype Available for Nokia Smartphones on Ovi
Skype and Nokia have jointly announced the release of Skype for Symbian, a Skype client for Nokia smartphones based on the Symbian platform. Skype for Symbian will allow Nokia smartphone users worldwide to use Skype on the move, over either a WiFi or mobile data connection (GPRS, EDGE, 3G). It is now downloadable for free from the Ovi Store.
“With Symbian’s global reach, Skype is that much closer to becoming the ubiquitous real-time communications platform for hundreds of millions of Symbian-based mobile users.”
Skype for Symbian enables Nokia smartphone users to:
•Make free Skype-to-Skype calls to other Skype users anywhere in the world*
•Save money on calls and texts (SMS) to phones abroad.
•Send and receive instant messages to and from individuals or groups
•Share pictures, videos and other files.
•Receive calls to their existing online number
•See when Skype contacts are online and available to call or IM
•Easily import names and numbers from the phone’s address book
Skype for Symbian will run on any Nokia smartphone using Symbian ^1, the latest version of the Symbian platform. Skype will soon introduce this client to Symbian mobile devices from other manufacturers, including Sony Ericsson.
The initial Skype for Symbian application is compatible with the following Nokia touchscreen models: Nokia N97, Nokia N97 mini, Nokia X6, Nokia 5800 XpressMusic and Nokia 5530 and the following non-touch devices: Nokia E72, Nokia E71, Nokia E90, Nokia E63, Nokia E66, Nokia E51, Nokia N96, Nokia N95, Nokia N95 8Gb, Nokia N85, Nokia N82, Nokia N81, Nokia N81 8 Gb, Nokia N79, Nokia N78, Nokia 6220 classic, Nokia 6210 Navigator, Nokia 5320.