Products & Services

Why don’t they make phones like these?

By Charlie on 24 June 2009

ESPOO, Finland – Of all the manufacturers of mobile phones, I feel that Nokia produces the most varied range. There’s a phone for every taste, price range, personality. But, despite that, Nokia doesn’t make phones for everyone, hence there are a few folks feeling they are missing that “something extra special” in their phone. Read on and join us in a romp across phones that Nokia doesn’t make, and let us know which ones you might miss.

Feature freaks
OK, so, before we start, this article is not about all of you who want the ultimate über-gizmo with all the latest features and a coffee maker to boot. We don’t want to get into a discussion about the latest SIP or security feature or so on. We just want to focus on the simple things like target market or coloring.

Senior phone
We’ve been asking the phone guys for ages why Nokia doesn’t make a senior phone. A “senior phone” is designed with aging baby-boomers in mind. Of course, we don’t mean insultingly simple phones with big buttons that have few functions. We mean a phone tailored to the needs and physical constraints of older people. For example, there could be apps and services tailored to the senior set. Or, while still stylish, the device could be more readable and easier to handle for eyes that usually need reading glasses and hands that are a wee less flexible.

Camo phone
The Nokia 5110 might have been one of the first phones with exchangeable covers. Indeed, the Nokia N79 and the Supernova range still ship with different color battery covers. But, Ricky at The Symbian Guru once wished that there were a camo-colored phone.

That got us thinking. Nokia used to make TETRA phones, which were for law enforcement departments throughout Europe. And Nokia used to have a tough phone, the Nokia 5140. But no more.

A Nokia Conversations reader sums it up:

… When a diesel engine is screaming nearby, it’s raining, and the location is vibrating, and the phone falls into the mud I want to hear it! Just imagine the appeal of a Nokia commercial where a guy like me, amid the noise and deplorable weather conditions mentioned above drops his ugly cell phone two stories onto a concrete floor where it bounces through the mud and water and gets squashed by truck tires even deeper into the mud. AND IT RINGS! REALLY LOUD! AND I PICK IT UP AND HEAR MY GRANDDAUGHTER TELL ME HOW PROUD SHE IS TO BE INDUCTED INTO THE NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY! …

I guess there’s still a market for a “tough” phone. One in camo colours as well, I suspect.

Flights of fancy
A few months back we stumbled upon the Nokia E97, a concept device by Fabien Nauroy, done for a masters degree project. Called “Envelop”, this Is “just” a study case, he says, but shows that talented fans can capture our imagination as to what a phone could look and act like. Check out the images below.

What do you think of “Envelop”?

Summary
In the end, Nokia can’t be all things to all people. And Nokia does come out with a range of amazing devices (OK, so I’m biased). But sometimes, I guess we all wish Nokia made us a particularly special phone for our particularly special needs. Isn’t that so?

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pier Says:
June 24th, 2009 at 4:19 pm

Man the Concept is uber cool!!!

The dualism idea is so exciting!!!

Nuno Pereira Says:
June 24th, 2009 at 4:41 pm

This E97 is almost everything i want from a phone (visually speaking) , but to be honest, i think it’s asking too much.

I don’t know if it’s that functional to have a “tear-of screen” nowadays… Maybe in the future it will make more sense, but right now i’m just not sure..

Btw, reading the articles from the past few days, it sounds to me that you’re about to announce something BIG in the e-series area… Am i wrong?

Ricky Cadden Says:
June 24th, 2009 at 5:00 pm

Small correction: I didn’t once wish there was a camo Nokia, I’ve *always* wished for it. Every chance I get to chat with any of the Nokia product teams, I make sure and ask about it. Darla did it long enough with pink, and finally got a pink N95. I figure, if I keep it up, it’s only a matter of time.

Having reviewed the Casio G’zOne Boulder and a few other ruggedized-to-military-specifications phones, I really think that’s a market opportunity. While most people don’t *need* it, it’s super convenient to be able to ‘accidentally’ drop your phone in a glass of water or take it camping and not have to worry about it.

Nuno Pereira Reply:
June 24th, 2009 at 5:32 pm

@Ricky Cadden, and where would you use your camo phone if it was your only phone?

Would you use it on a wedding party along with your armani suit?

But ok, i think Nokia has free numbers for that one to.. Maybe N-Alpha10-series…

Xavier des Horts Says:
June 24th, 2009 at 7:26 pm

To contact Fabien Nauroy

http://www.coroflot.com/public/individual_file.asp?individual_id=247284&portfolio_id=2186638&

Enjoy !

Luis Marques Says:
June 24th, 2009 at 7:47 pm

Ok, this one I must comment.
I guess Nokia should introduce some unique features along with some more design language differentiation.
Once upon a time Nokia phones showed innovation be it particular designs, particular features, and so on. They distinguished themselves by putting effort on exploring devices’ uniqueness. These days I feel (and this is my particular opinion, feel free to not agree) Nokia fallen in a boring clone environment.
Sure there are some unique lines of design phones, but then again we all know there’s a full line of that design language ready to take on. I’m particularly thinking of XpressMusic and N-Series design language, they started as a “new language” but then spread to a full range of devices, look-alikes if you wish.
I feel there’s a need of turning the devices unique again sharing only some detail elements (like the multimedia key and Nokia badge of N-Series).

I’m presently choosing my next phone and it’s been a hard time to find the one that I need within Nokia’s range. I’m looking for something like the new Samsung Jet but packed with Symbian (long-time user, fearing the change to a closed OS and the lack of software for it), maybe a querty-less N97 is what I really needed, but then again there’s no phone in that category yet. I must say that none of the Nokia devices is making me drool just like they used to in the past.

Sorry for the letter-sized comment but I really needed to share this.
Cheers,
Luís Marques

Kensai Says:
June 24th, 2009 at 9:54 pm

Nokia should offer a full-time job to Fabien Nauroy. Period.

AdamF Says:
June 25th, 2009 at 12:20 am

This design is brilliant.

Fabien Nauroy is clearly very good at what he does. Personally E series phones are not for me, but I would certainly like to own that one.

illusionado Says:
June 25th, 2009 at 2:26 am

Nokia can make a better phone without basing the needs of people but all the needs that we want in a phone.

N series can definitely do it, why not put all things in a phone.Or it is okay to lack 1 feature.

Example of this. N81 is a good gaming and music device but how about the CAMERA? with 2MP its a down for almost of us. But I think also about markets that it will be hard for other Nokia phones to be sold.

But we hope better phones that will be announced next in Nseries.

N82 was the best phone I admired and Love…why make a successor of this?

gregg003 Says:
June 25th, 2009 at 3:07 am

how about making mobile phone production open to customization like in PC world where in you can assemble your own unit based on the specs and features you want. c”,

Nuno Pereira Reply:
June 25th, 2009 at 7:48 pm

@gregg003, I subscribe that too. That is one of those things that we want but don’t just think about.

Nokia: Take that “Desktop, Laptop, Pocket” to a new stage. Bring on full customization along with mobility.

And by the way, an idea that just came to my mind (right now):

Why not make a phone with the looks of the “old” 8210 (http://www.mobilzirve.com/cep-telefonu/2008/07/nokia-8210.jpg) or the 8310 (http://pangeran.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/nokia_8310.jpg), but with not a slide keyboard but a slide full touch screen?

I know it’s a rough idea, but if some “Fabien Nauroy” grabs it and brings it to (near) reality, i think it would be the sexyest phone ever, but with touch. (oh, and hardware too :p)

gregg003 Reply:
June 26th, 2009 at 8:36 am

@Nuno Pereira, haha that’s an odd idea dude, surely those phones mentioned were to old to resurrect c”,

the envelop phone seemed good to look at but its fragile specially the screen being taken out of the phone.

Nuno Pereira Reply:
June 27th, 2009 at 1:52 am

@gregg003, the idea isn’t the “resurection” of those models, but making something similar, with touch. Sexy, small and touch.

Btw, today i had my “first encounter” with the Samsung Blade, and i have to tell you: If it wasn’t for symbian, i’d send the 5800 down the toilet.
Samsung’s Blade is S.E.X.Y..

Donny Says:
June 25th, 2009 at 4:41 am

If you wish to talk about target marketing and market segmentation, then look no further than my blog entry from 2wks ago!

Regarding more features, functionality and the prowess of a future device from Nokia … GIVE US the Envelope E97 and higher Fabien Nauroy has a design lead NOW! Just make sure you don’t starve the budget for your engineers (hardware & software) and make certain that no less than OMAP3430/3440 or OMAP4340 is there with PowerVR or better hardware graphics acceleration. MANY markets are focused on this – and your target audience that wants to buy such a device has the money to do so. Take note that software engineering team needs to refine menus to be more powerful, efficient and utilize numerical & alphabetical shortcuts within the main menu and Options menu!

Nokia has been preaching about a device is not only about hardware but in functionality of how we use it. Its time to pay the piper as I’ve been supporting this view but I cannot prove it/nor use it in real life if Nokia cannot deliver on this philosphy.

msav Says:
June 25th, 2009 at 7:55 am

I feel that single phone models are becoming less important than the services that go with them. Therefore the design of a device should not be all about the latest trends but more of a clear platform. The current way of designing phones is similar to the design of cars. The problem is that there’s no understatement. I would like to see Nokia producing a simple bare minimal looking device with a touch screen and bind it closely to the services they have and to services that are popular elsewhere. The device should come in a nice big range of colours. So try to make it cute, try to create a lifestyle (see Muji). Go hire Naoto Fukasawa or Jasper Morrison.

Hugo Says:
June 25th, 2009 at 7:57 am

Ah, the “global user base of one”.

And if you want a camouflage phone, you can get camo gaffer/duct tape, get some of that and cut out the right size sections and stick ‘em on! Easy peasy!

Go on, you know you want to! And share the photos

Emman. Bello Says:
June 25th, 2009 at 1:25 pm

Oooh! How I love NOKIA. Please why is Nokia not producing a phone with double (two) SIMs? Africa or Nigeria in particular have problems with network providers and so are faced with carrying an average of two-three phones at a time. Samsung and other phone manufacturers are producing double SIM phones. Why not NOKIA? PLEASE WE NEED IT.

Vic Says:
June 25th, 2009 at 5:20 pm

Envelop is a great concept.
But the game is all about software and a great OS.
Form factor is nice, but less important. The razor days are over!
to the editorial team: keep up the good work, I enjoy reading conversations.
best
v

antyfan Says:
June 25th, 2009 at 11:07 pm

tell me why? Why don’t You?

In my opinion it’s good idea.

Matjaz Says:
June 26th, 2009 at 10:58 am

so this site is basically mining data from users so that Nokia won’t have to pay research on what ppl think?
Is this a PR site or sth more?

If it’s named Nokia Conversation, why can’t we express EVERYTHING that is missing from the phone, especially security and SIP?
Market has evolved so much and ppl demand more and more… don’t make a mistake and underestimate your users… it will come back to you and not in a nice way….

SanjMan Says:
July 2nd, 2009 at 8:05 am

Nokia has always been popular not only for its great design and form factor but also for its simplicity in the way it interacted with users (remember ‘human technology’?). Today, others have taken over this arena.. They are stealing the thunder!

What Nokia needs is to reinvent something like the mouse, the screen-touch or the wiimote..