Nokia set to join apps store race with Symbian offering
Published: 10 February, 2009
Every handset maker and software house wants to enhance its position in the mobile content value chain, by having its own-branded applications store, closely tied into its device and/or operating system. Apple led the way; Palm, RIM and Google Android have followed; new stores are imminent from Samsung, Microsoft, and now Nokia. Nokia has been the quietest about its plans, and has the most complex task, since it wishes to promote its own phones, but also its wider Symbian/Series 60 platform, which is multi-device and soon-to-be open source, and its Ovi web services, which could soon migrate to non-Nokia gadgets.
Despite this dauntingly complication business model, Nokia is expected to take the first plunge into selling software with an announcement, head-to-head with Samsung's, at Mobile World Congress next week.
However, with the vendor remaining tightlipped, there is varying speculation as to what exactly it will announce. The Finnish giant already has some standalone mobile shops, such as Nokia MusicStore, N-Gage for games, the Mosh service for free and user generated content, the Download! Store, and Nokia Software Market (for buying software add-ons from business tools to games).
The new development may simply tie these together under one brand. This could be Nokia-specific, promoting the Ovi portal brand to a more prominent position and integrating content closely with webphones like the 5800 touchscreen music device. Or it could go a step further, and be the initial shot at a general store for Symbian apps on any hardware, as Nokia bids to keep backers like Sony Ericsson and Samsung fully committed to its favored operating system, despite the lures of Android or even Windows Mobile.
According to Russian blog Mobile-review, the new store is currently viewable, in closed mode. It claims "distribution and revenue sharing model between app makers and Nokia looks very attractive" but does not elaborate. Games makers have been critical in the past of Nokia's sharing model, especially when compared to Apple's for App Store.
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