Products & Services
Maemo and N900: Many customization points for operators
By Phil on 11 September 2009
Since Nokia World, there has been a lot of positive buzz and discussion around Nokia’s operating systems. However, in the past couple of days, there have been some speculative stories about Nokia’s operator customization strategy for Maemo. Many reports have erroneously suggested that Nokia will not support operator customization for Maemo devices – a fact that is simply incorrect.
Perhaps a bit of background is needed here.
Nokia has always taken a very pragmatic approach when it comes to operating systems in mobile devices – ranging from Series 30, our basic OS for voice-optimized phones, to Windows 7, a logical choice for our Booklet 3G mini-laptop.
For example, in smartphones, we continue to believe that Symbian is the best alternative in enabling compelling mobile experiences for hundreds of millions of people around the world. Nokia currently offers the industry’s broadest range of smartphone models based on the Symbian OS. One of Symbian’s greatest strengths is its breadth – Symbian supports more than 40 languages, with multiple form factors at a range of price points, and support both touch, qwerty as well as the traditional ITU keypad. Symbian has been specifically developed to support operator customization, which enables operators to highlight their brand identity and services to their customers. Our commitment to Symbian was underscored last year when we acquired the company and established the Symbian Foundation to ensure its future development as an open source platform.
In 2005, Nokia introduced the first Nokia Internet Tablet. This Tablet was based on Maemo software, which took its cues from the desktop computer, as opposed to the mobile phone. Maemo was developed for multi-tasking and to create the best possible browsing experience in a hand-held device.
Last month, Nokia unveiled the Nokia N900, based on the 4th generation of Maemo software. The N900 is a natural evolution of our Internet-optimized devices and marks the first time that we have added cellular connectivity to a Maemo device.
Fast forward to today…
This week, there have been a number of speculative stories suggesting that Nokia will not allow for operator customization of Maemo devices. Seems a few people are getting ahead of themselves. As we have said over the past couple of weeks, our plan with Maemo is to focus on the consumer experience – integrating applications and services from Nokia, our broad community of developers and publishers and, of course, from our operator customers. While we have not announced immediate plans to offer an operator variant for the N900, there are many customization points for operators on the N900. It would be absolutely incorrect to assume that we will not offer operators the ability to tailor future Maemo devices to suit their needs.
Of course, it is fantastic to see the positive buzz building around Maemo and the Nokia N900, so we wanted to clear up these few important details that appear to have been misunderstood.
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Tags | Booklet 3G, Maemo, N900, Nokia World, operators, series 30, Series 40, symbian, tablet
September 11th, 2009 at 3:29 pm
I think it speaks to people’s immense irritation with operator customisations that people jumped at the mere suggestion like starving dogs at a bone. Operator customisations, generally speakingly, only act to reduce user customisation and add often-immense delays to software updates. They may meet operators’ needs, but there’s consumer “anti-demand” for such a feature.
Given Nokia’s tendency to out-of-box software bugs, we’re at least hoping that operator customisations will be decoupled from device software updates for the first time.
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Dave Weinstein Reply:
September 17th, 2009 at 4:43 pm
Agreed. Allowing operators to “customize” devices is akin to going to a restaurant and having the waiter dump salt into your soup on the way to your table. In both cases it’s a misguided attempt to add value in an inappropriate way that benefits the server, but not the customer.
As a consumer I feel no compunction to placate the carriers need to feel like they’re anything more than a commodity data service. They should be trying to differentiate themselves via better coverage and customer service rather than by crippling devices, degrading functionality, and slapping their logo all over everything.
I, for one, had hoped, with Maemo, that Nokia would follow the lead of Apple and Google, and reduce carrier customization little or nothing. It’s sad to see that this won’t be the case.
-dw
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September 11th, 2009 at 3:36 pm
Ooooh, addressed here. Now, I’ve got more than enough PR knowledge to know that this means something in some discussion got some stakeholder a bit wary
No biggie. This is a good thing.
The benefit of Maemo to users is its openness. The benefit of Maemo to Nokia is the control Nokia gets over hardware and software implementation (moreso than Symbian which is more or less driven by committee). What then is the benefit to carriers?
Because if users can customize the device to their needs, and only need the carrier as a pipe, how then does the Nokia-experience speak as something carriers can continue to find healthy revenue streams towards? Because Nokia isn’t Apple or RIM; Nokia’s brand is much more about the devices than services at this point, and for carriers, Nokia’s services become a threat overtop those devices they (too) would no longer have control over.
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September 11th, 2009 at 3:37 pm
I think the statement in question is:
“Very clearly Apple, Android [...] are a whole lot less about providing customization to the operators and a whole lot more about providing a really cool, compelling value proposition to the end-consumer. [...] We have an opportunity, that we are going to take advantage of, with Maemo platform to play the game a little bit more along those lines than with Symbian lines”
From David Rivas. So it seems that this was dramatically overstated by Reuters’ crappy writer.
Given that Nokia recently announced “industrial design” customisation options would become available to operators, there’s no way Nokia’s going away from operator customisation as a policy.
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September 11th, 2009 at 3:39 pm
Well said. While operator customization may, at present, be a necessary evil in the US in general people can get better features by being allowed to install the software of their choice.
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September 11th, 2009 at 4:04 pm
Let hears some operator subsidy announcement soon.
Nokia could lose potential customers if they dun let them know how they can get the n900 cheaper through subsidary.
Would be nice to sort out the options on how to get the N900 sooner rather than later.
Also make shareholders happy. =)
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September 11th, 2009 at 4:05 pm
@ARJWright – hehe, my guess is: when PR/Comms people put together an announcement, they release a million bits of info, but it’s that one-millionth-and-one that they may forget…and I’m happy to clear up any confusion.
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September 11th, 2009 at 4:07 pm
@Alex – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKTH6f1JfX8
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September 11th, 2009 at 7:31 pm
Ok, this is fantastic news, but please please lemme know in the UK what networks are going to do this amazing phone, because i am up for an upgrade, I can wait upto a month but if the phone is not going to be carried in the UK, then there is no point waiting…Please your help will be much appreciated.
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September 11th, 2009 at 10:03 pm
How far the customization goes is the question. If Nokia plans to disable functions, and block them (as some carriers have done with other platforms) this could cause a major backlash in the Maemo developer and user community, not to mention possible GPL issues. Pushed to the extreme I worry for the Maemo platform, at the minimum I’m slightly annoyed.
The ability to remove carrier software / changes would be much desired, and have to remain available.
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September 12th, 2009 at 4:51 am
Well i’ll put it down as a fact that simply SUCKS! Speaking from experience custumizations usually screw up the software not to mention the delay in firmware upgrades i really didnt think Nokia would do that guess i’ll wait an see if there is anyway to debrand it or i’ll have to go for iphone or some andriod device…
Damn all the shareholders!!!
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Alex Whiteside Reply:
September 14th, 2009 at 12:09 pm
Or you could stop over-reacting and buy the unlocked version, which looks like it’ll be on the market for ages before any operator version is even announced.
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September 12th, 2009 at 3:33 pm
I’m at a loss as to why Nokia _must_ allow operators to customise the software? Surely the most basic form of customisation is merely the installation of an application?
If operators simply developed applications that were pre-installed for installation it would improve interest and development of new applications for the platform and prevent operators from interfering in the roll-out of new firmware.
I’m STILL waiting for v12 of the N97 firmware in the UK. NAM has had it for two weeks already. Will the N97 owners in the UK be forced to wait weeks for v20 because operators won’t release it? Most likely. And the same will happen with Maemo on the N900 too. Nokia will release the base firmware to operators, there will be a big hooplah about it on the blogosphere and then we’ll have to wait weeks or months for the operators to finish their customisations before it gets an actual release to the end user.
Take a leaf out of Apple’s book on this one Nokia, YOU control the software – if operators want to customise it, they write applications like everybody else. It’s a win, win, win for everyone.
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September 13th, 2009 at 5:49 am
N900 NAM 1900 for when??????
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September 13th, 2009 at 11:47 am
For me operators customization is no big deal cause it always depends on your country. Here in Philippines small numbers of customization for operators but there’s no big deal for many.
So taking the wings to Europe and USA it is important to deal with this operators customization, Nokia is smarter than ever heheh lol.=p
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September 13th, 2009 at 2:39 pm
I hope the carriers do not force Nokie to drop the video calling support for the voip applications. I have already pre-ordered N900 and really hope I can video Skype my mum
. I will be replacing my G1 andoird with the N900. I have always been a tablet fan since buying the N770 and N800 so the N900 looks like perfect blend of so many cool things it is a must-have. Roll-on October.
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Base Reply:
September 17th, 2009 at 4:02 pm
Im doing the exact same. i love my g1 and all the cool apps. pdanet is the best. i have always been a fan of nokia tablet brands also the great N810. video calling through skype or gizmo5 will be the key selling point in my eyes. Great choice Rod!!!!!!!!!!!
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shooters Reply:
November 14th, 2009 at 6:46 pm
who says video calling trough skype is supported? to my knowledge the front cam isn’t even operational in the 300 devices that were given out tosome developpers simply because the software for it isn’t even written yet. correct me if i’m wrong
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September 14th, 2009 at 7:02 pm
For years iam searching this simple question i cant find any answer, “Does Nokia support Telugu language webpages in Browser ? ” or alteast this Nokia Meamo Operating system supports this great feature to Indian customers ?
i try to browse this site in somany nokia phones none of the phone do not open these sites http://www.eenadu.net or http://www.sakshi.com or any telugu language webpages, hope nokia can resolve this problem atleast in N900.
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September 27th, 2009 at 5:36 am
Hi support engineer,
i would like to find out the current nokia n97 can it support skype software?
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October 7th, 2009 at 3:38 am
Is it a cell phone or smartphone?
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October 14th, 2009 at 1:40 am
“This week, there have been a number of speculative stories suggesting that Nokia will not allow for operator customization of Maemo devices” – as well!
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