Nokia with Microsoft Windows software, and why it is a concern for me

I used to be a diehard Nokia buyer. If it wasn’t a Nokia I wasn’t interested. But then Nokia started to fall out of favour. I found once I strayed from the hardware and wanted to use software on my computer I wasn’t happy. I purchased a cable kit and all it came with was a box and a cable. No software and if I recall correctly, no instructions. For the price I was very disappointed.

Fast forward and last year Nokia released their Smart Phone with Windows Phone 7 around September, if I recall correctly. I waited and waited. Towards the end of 2011 Nokia was heavily promoting their non-Windows phone in Australia on shows like Celebrity Apprentice and still not releasing a Windows Phone 7 product in Australia. It was well into 2012 before Nokia decided to release a Windows Phone 7 mobile in Australia.

It almost felt like we’d Australia had become a secondary market. If you read articles the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, China, India) group of nations is where the focus appears to be. Australia, we’ll get to you when we’re ready.

I tested Windows Phone 7 and found three simple tests with the browser that failed. To me Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7 was not good enough for what I want. The issues I have relate to web page layout, location and transferring content to the internet.

Windows Phone 7.5 was released and the location information was fixed but the layout and transfer issues remained. Transferring content using the browser is still an issue with most mobile devices.

Now just few months after Nokia released their devices in Australia we find existing handsets won’t be compatible with Windows Phone 8. WOW. Talk about quick obsolescence. How could Microsoft bring out software that in less than a year would obsolete their leading hardware partner’s devices!

When Nokia and Microsoft bring out a mobile phone which is so quickly obsolete, and Nokia places Australia down the list in terms of worldwide priorities, it will take a lot for me to have confidence in them again.

Once a Windows 8 Phone is released I’ll again do my three tests. I’m hoping Nokia also reconsiders their timing with their Australian release. If the Nokia/Microsoft partnership continues to treat Australians as a secondary market they’re unlikely to gain market share in Australia.

The world has certainly changed since I considered Nokia and Microsoft as preferred suppliers of choice. That’s a good thing because Nokia and Microsoft now have to work harder to appeal to customers and can’t afford to rest on their laurels.

Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer support.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.