From the outside, we have to sit a few years behind product schedules, and dont get the benefit of a singular company focus – we get the focus from all the companies vying for out attention all at the same time. To that end, what seems revolutionary next, it is, but the perspective is different.

There’s much to be gained from what you have spoken. And given both economic climates, and Nokia’s ability to almost craft the future, I wouldnt be surprised if something neat did come and raise the bar ever higher still.

Of course the problem with that is that it also raises the outsider expectations. For Nokia, what was once a 2 years to innovation cycle is definitely longer, and definitely consumes more of the versatile assets of the company. How can it respond there is the best question for such an organization. Nokia is indeed positioned to do well, but well is going to be harder and harder to attain in the forseeable future IMO.

My suggestion is: create less device models. Right now, Nokia is making too many Nseries devices and as John said most of them are more or less the same. It’s better to make less devices but make people “wow” than make too many devices that become commodity.

I don’t quite agree with the “device” part. I don’t think that Nokia has been raising the bar since 2006.
After releasing the N95, all phones such as the N82, N78, N85, N96, N79 etc. were simply almost the same phone with each their respective variant.
Other than the Xenon flash in the N82 and the FM Transmitter in the N78 & N85 (as well as OLED Screen) no real major innovation was introduced. Even the E71, E66 etc. are phones that didn’t really cause some revolution… Nokia was simply coping with the market standard in this category. Most BB users in the Middle East didn’t really switch to E series as a matter of fact for example.

All in all, for those owning an N95 8 gig or an N82, no phone being released by Nokia would convince them to change or upgrade to a newer phone. I still think that these two phones are two of the most powerful phones in Nokia’s catalogue. (the 5800 touchscreen put aside since i didn’t have the chance to test it yet)

Nevertheless other firms such as Samsung, LG and others already raised the bar starting for instance with the Innov8.

The N95 was a revolution. No doubt. The N95 8 gig and N82 (released almost in the same period) were the continuation and end of this revolution.
When will be the next revolution?
Probably with the next N-Series touchscreen device? Hopefully.
It’s about time Nokia raises the bar, effectively and make competitors wonder…
Until then, Nokia isn’t competing with itself anymore.. As a matter of fact, it has today some serious competition…

Nevertheless when it comes to services, Nokia is exceeding, no doubt, but Apple is keeping a close eye..

Regards
John
Beirut, Lebanon