Nokia keeps weird silence about MeeGo, could it be because it outsold Windows Phone?
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Nokia kept a weird silence about sales of its MeeGo platform, represented by the Nokia N9, which cannot go unnoticed. At the same time, the Finns did not give out sales of Windows Phone in the same period. Could it be because MeeGo with only the Nokia N9 outsold Windows Phone in Q4 2011?
Nokia has left the door wide open for speculation by keeping mum on the details. Here’s the only mention of the N9 in the report:
“The increase in our Smart Devices volumes in the fourth quarter 2011 was primarily driven by the broader availability throughout the quarter of the Nokia N9 and the shipments during the quarter of the Nokia Lumia 800 and 710 in selected markets, as well as increased seasonal demand for our devices.”
Notice that the Nokia N9 is mentioned first. Now, to give you some wider context on why we theorize about such a possibility: after spending billions on development Nokia suddenly announced it’s marginalizing its MeeGo effort and will release one last handset. This was the N9 which went on sale last summer. Back then, some nay-sayers doubted the future of the Nokia Windows Phone and asked Elop what would happen if the N9 sold better than Windows Phone. Elop then gave a very controversial answer, especially considering his position as CEO of Nokia by saying that even in that case, the company would not promote sales of its MeeGo smartphone.
On the other side, there was Windows Phone, which the company is promoting extremely vividly by spending millions, plus getting platform support of $250 million from Microsoft. It’s only logical to assume that Nokia wants to paint the best picture possible for its Windows Phone figures. Proving that is the fact that Nokia made an exception for Windows Phone shipments. Nokia reported “well over 1 million” shipped handsets, but unlike all of the report which focused around Q4 2011, this figure is for a wider period, “up to date.” We should also note that the figure does not represent actual sales to customers, but units shipped to retailers, which are yet to be sold.
What do you make of Nokia’s weird silence about MeeGo? Could the N9 have outsold the Nokia Lumia range or is it an overkill to assume something like that? Drop your two cents below.
source: Nokia
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45 Comments
2. JSern posted on 26 Jan 2012, 08:29 10 4
Haha Victor H.
You're so funny with your touchy words.
I wonder why did they hired you in the first place.
6. rex1213 posted on 26 Jan 2012, 09:18 7 8
And I wonder what's wrong with the writer's speculations when everything sounds logical.
25. PaulNotFromSweden posted on 26 Jan 2012, 12:12 7 4
Quite possibly because he's a better writer than you.
3. drahmad posted on 26 Jan 2012, 08:53 5 7
Not a good point. n9 was available worldwide. Lumia 800 was launched ver slowly and is still not available in many countries
8. rex1213 posted on 26 Jan 2012, 09:23 9 2
The N9 might be available worldwide, yes. But you have to consider the fact that the N9 was released in small markets like Kazahkstan, Nigeria and many other small markets whereas Nokia Lumia handsets, despite the fact that there are still countries not getting it, has already been launched in mostly Nokia's strong markets.
Now if the N9 being released to small markets like Kazahkstan and then the Lumia handsets were released on MAJOR markets like the UK and still the N9 managed to outsell the Lumias, then one can come to a conclusion that MeeGo had a warmer welcome than Windows Phone.
For me, the writer made valid and logical points.
9. Victor.H posted on 26 Jan 2012, 09:24 11 2
N9 available worldwide, are you kidding? Nokia purposefully held back on the release in developed countries. If by worldwide you mean Kazakhstan, that would be correct, though.
11. rex1213 posted on 26 Jan 2012, 09:29 4 0
Yeah actually I was about to edit my post (since I was wrong after re-reading my first sentence) but I can't edit it anymore since you were fast to reply. :)
Anyways, I just would like to correct that I meant the N9 was NOT LAUNCHED IN EVERY MARKET WORLDWIDE (due to Elop's desperation to help his former employer, Microsoft). What I meant was launched in many MINOR markets and disregarding major markets like the US.
34. chapizzo posted on 27 Jan 2012, 00:55 1 0
And not to mention the ridiculous over pricing. This goes to show, even though windows 7 phone is a promising platform, Nokia would have been better off if they had not completely dropped Meego. Even if they decided to produce one handset a year, and bombarded us with more windows phones.
45. Socalvenom posted on 28 Jan 2012, 23:09 0 0
technically MeeGo never disappeared it's still going on but since everyone's focusing on W7 it makes it seem like MeeGo died out. When Nokia announced the switch many employees protested since they knew MeeGo had more potential then W7 and because even though the company was struggling the decision was solely financial I know that If Nokia was given the opportunity to unveil the N9 in the States Apple and Android would of had a run for their money besides that if you look at videos and compare both the N9 and Lumia you can clearly see that W7 stole features from the N9 I honestly believe Windows saw a very strong competitor and since Windows was struggling in the phone market they decided to buy out Nokia and steel their OS and rename it. I know Nokia isn't the first Windows 7 phone but The Nokia Takeover was planned a long time ago
26. -box- posted on 26 Jan 2012, 12:48 1 0
Try getting an N9 in the US anywhere but on the internet, and anywhere under $700. Then tell me it was released "worldwide". Most of the ones in the States are imports from Europe, with the UK English rather than US English.
44. Socalvenom posted on 28 Jan 2012, 22:54 0 0
I bought mine on ebay for $380 brand new and the company's in New York
4. ReturningToNokia posted on 26 Jan 2012, 09:05 5 4
Weird silence? The N9 is insignificant in the grand scheme of things; there is no need for Nokia to spend time discussing an OS that will not get another device.
Symbian will be support for 4 more years, and Windows Phone is, and will be, their primary OS for years to come - this is where there discussion should be when discussing their smartphone numbers.
14. rex1213 posted on 26 Jan 2012, 09:42 6 1
Even if N9 will be the last of MeeGo, still it is a product of Nokia. Elop should at least care to say interesting things about N9 since it is a Nokia product and investors, I'm sure, would also be interested to know about the N9's sales numbers.
35. chapizzo posted on 27 Jan 2012, 01:01 1 0
Ofcourse Nokia already decided to drop Meego. But if its outselling their windows offerings (investors would be very interested in this), then maybe they need to stop and think again whether it was the right decision. And its not like they cannot decide to change their minds.
5. ReturningToNokia posted on 26 Jan 2012, 09:12 7 2
Victor H. says "Elop then gave a very controversial answer, especially considering his position as CEO of Nokia by saying that even in that case, the company would not promote sales of its MeeGo smartphone."
Victor, you know good and damn well that Stephen Elop did not say that they would not promote the N9; he said that regardless of how successful it may or may not be, that they would not create another Harmattan-Meego device, but that some of the aspects of that OS would live on in future iterations of Nokia products.
Just bad writing, Victor.
12. Victor.H posted on 26 Jan 2012, 09:31 7 4
What he said is that there's no turning back to MeeGo, which effectively means they would not promote the N9. That's what has happened in the developed world - the company has instead focused on promoting its Windows Phone handsets. Even in strongholds like Russia where the N9 was made available, the Lumia 800 is getting a stronger marketing push.
I take the point for not making myself perfectly clear there, though.
22. ReturningToNokia posted on 26 Jan 2012, 11:08 4 1
Victor...Windows Phone is the primary OS - the bulk of the marketing should be for WP!
And by the way, Nokia did market the N9. So no, just because they are not making another Harmattan-Meego device, doesn't mean that they did not promote the N9 device that was, in fact, released.
There are too many accounts where there is evidence of marketing (ads, billboards, etc.) for the N9. Of course, not on the scale of WP...but again, why should Nokia use the bulk of their marketing dollars on an OS that will not have another iteration. Sales for the N9 were apparently commensurate with its advertising, so yay!
Windows Phone is the primary OS for Nokia, now and for many years to come. That is not going to change, whether they publish every single sales figure for every device they currently manufacture or not.
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