MBS Inspiration
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The MBS Group
is one of the world’s leading executive search firms operating exclusively in Retail, Consumer and relevant technologies, and the most successful sector-specialist firm in the UK
Not 'Finnished' yet
Do you remember when Nokia was the ‘de facto’ mobile of choice? It seems like ages ago, but it is worth remembering that the Finnish brand was once a synonym for ‘mobile phone’ in much the same way Google is for Internet search, Hoover was for vacuum cleaners and Biro for ballpoint pens.
The brand, designs and even ringtones were ubiquitous in offices, bars and playgrounds across the country. People would compare horror stories of switching to another manufacturer and being unable to use their new menus and operating system! It might surprise you to learn that it was as recent as 2008 when Nokia’s global market share peaked at a staggering 42% (- at exactly that time Apple launched the iPhone 3G).
Fast forward three years, however, and the landscape could not look more different: the smartphone market is dominated by Apple and Google, and Blackberry’s maker, Research In Motion, is struggling on several fronts.
Earlier this year Nokia’s new CEO, Stephen Elop released the incendiary ‘burning platform’ memo to all staff and subsequently announced that Nokia would enter a joint venture with Microsoft to build handsets on the Windows Phone platform. Elop was acknowledging that Nokia could no longer survive on it’s own. At the same time, Microsoft’s previous attempts to penetrate the mobile industry had largely failed, to the point that they now make more money from license patents used in Google’s operating system than they do from their own. At the time of the announcement, Google’s SVP of Engineering, Vic Gundotro, summarised what many were thinking when he tweeted “two turkeys do not make an eagle”. Ouch!
Well, on Wednesday this week at the Nokia World event in London, the first new Windows phones were launched to an industry that had watched and waited with bated breath. This is quite a remarkable turnaround, given that the decision to collaborate with Microsoft was only taken eight months ago. And the launch is important not only for the two new partners, but for all of us, as the mobile market is close to being dominated by two ‘eco-systems’ – Google’s Android and Apple’s iOS platforms. As my previous blogs testify, I am a huge fan of Apple, but this time I am rooting for Nokia to succeed. Why? Well, for several reasons: first, as consumers, we know choice and competition are important; second, it’s depressing how few global European technology brands are out there (try and name more than five); and third, and perhaps most importantly for Nokia, the phones look amazing and have been very well received.
Nokia have a huge mountain to climb against formidable competition, but I hope they will succeed. Will they? I would love to know what you think: moira@thembsgroup.co.uk.
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