2013 is quite the year of mobile technology innovation with two new players in the operating software space. Research In Motion’s BB10 will hit stores in the spring, coupled with two new Blackberry devices. Microsoft opted for a more democratic start by releasing the Windows Phone 8 operating software at the end of 2012, and making it available for purchase to all leading hardware makers. So far, the response to the new Microsoft OS has been very positive and people are using it predominantly on laptops or the Microsoft Surface tablet. The live-tile-based UI and the necessary upgrade in apps makes the machine a lot easier to use. As 2013 progresses, mobile devices running on Windows Phone 8 will start appearing in the market.
For any mobile phone maker, the first marketing target is the mobile carrier. Sprint has agreed to feature Windows Phone 8 phones like HTC and Samsung, but has left Nokia out of this list. Nokia recently replaced its Symbian OS with the Windows 8 in its Lumia phones. Industry experts commended this decision encouragingly. As a follow-up, speculation of Nokia making a comeback with its new Lumia line started doing the rounds. Sprint has made a slight dent in this wave of enthusiastic energy by deciding to not include Nokia Lumia in its line of Windows Phone 8 powered smartphones. Sprint’s spokesperson, Mark Elliott, was quoted saying that this year Sprint is focused on mobile companies that are rooted in CDMA and Sprint – HTC, Apple and Samsung, in other words.
On its part, the Finnish tech giant seems unfazed by Sprint’s decision and is concentrating all efforts on bettering its relationship with existing partners – AT&T, T-mobile and Verizon. This is important for Nokia as its market share dwindles gradually and its value to carriers goes down. There has been considerable friction between Nokia and its network partners lately. On the other hand, a Sprint-Nokia collaboration may be in the cards on a later stage, possibly when Nokia releases new phones. Chris Weber, Executive VP of Sales and Marketing at Nokia, reportedly confirmed that Nokia’s aim is to broaden the brand portfolio with AT&T, Verizon and T-mobile.
Considering the strategic implications of Sprint’s exclusion of Nokia, it is apparent that both companies realize that they will benefit from a later partnership, rather than no partnership at all. Maybe the promise of a future deal is keeping them peaceful and amicable right now.
