Nokia announces new products, services
11 March 2003 -- PMN -- Nokia has announced several new products and services at the CeBit event in Hannover, including two new mobile handsets. Jorma Ollila, the company's Chairman and CEO, also used the opening of the world's largest IT trade show to deliver an upbeat message on the future of the mobile industry.
Nokia had earlier released a mid-quarter financial update confirming that it would meet previous guidance, albeit at the lower end of its existing forecasts.
The handset releases included a new camera phone - the 6220 - which is aimed at business users and features a colour screen and tri-band EDGE compatibility. Nokia also showed the 3300, intended for the consumer market, which occupies a form factor similar to a handheld gaming console and includes MP3/AAC/FM music capabilities. The 3300 has a colour screen and can record FM radio directly into AAC format.
In a separate announcement, Nokia said that KPN is to start making i-Mode content available on the Nokia 3650. The move will come as a blow to Japanese manufacturers which had been hoping to improve their market share in Europe on the back of i-Mode service deployments. It comes as part of DoCoMo's drive to widen the appeal of the service by extending camera phone and Java capabilities to the European market. Samsung also said yesterday it was working with DoCoMo on GPRS handsets.
"Mobile phones are not purchased just for their voice functionality any more. Messaging, business applications, entertainment and other value-added features, infused with a strong brand experience, are the most compelling attractions. Standardised open technologies create an essential platform for the industry and for Nokia to fully leverage the market potential of mobility," said Anssi Vanjoki, Executive Vice President, Nokia Mobile Phones. "This is concretely illustrated for example in KPN's decision to make i-Mode content available on open standards starting with the Nokia 3650 imaging phone."
Nokia is showing several new accessories at CeBit, including a digital pen which records notes and drawings and transmits them via Bluetooth to a compatible handset. The notes can then be sent as multimedia messages. It also announced an enhanced lens for the Nokia 3650, enabling close-up shots.
In a new departure, Nokia said that it would start offering a mobile business service to enterprise customers. Nokia One service is a multi-access service for accessing e-mails, contacts, appointments and company directories using a mobile phone, web browser or fixed voice line. It will operate as a hosted service, with Nokia undertaking integration with existing corporate systems and providing local access numbers.
The company's US operations also issued a statement today saying that Nokia expected to produce its 25 millionth CDMA handset later this month and reiterating its objective of pursuing market share in the expanding CDMA market. Nokia plans to start testing handsets with next generation CDMA2000 1xEV-DV chipsets in H2 2003.
