Nokia Using Windows, Microsoft Using Java

I'm horribly busy so don't have time to write reams of analysis, but the juxtaposition of two announcements Monday really caught my eye:

1) Nokia (NOK) announcing a Windows-based netbook (sorry, "booklet"). I wonder if they'll ship all of them with 3G modems embedded - how will that play with retailers like Carphone Warehouse that want to sell them on multiple operators' networks? Most of the MNOs don't (yet) sell data-only SIM-only packages, so will the stores have to stock multiple operator-specific "flavors" of the PC?

2) Microsoft (MSFT) announcing a Java app for featurephones, intended to hook into web/cloud services like Facebook and Twitter (and Windows Live mentioned quietly). Microsoft has long neglected the still-huge featurephone marketplace, so given that its smartphone business is only trickling along, this is perhaps an interesting way to get a foothold in emerging markets' mobility ahead of Google (GOOG) & Apple (AAPL) & BlackBerry (RIMM).

Comments

[Tom B:]

"this is perhaps an interesting way to get a foothold in emerging markets' mobility ahead of Google (GOOG) & Apple (AAPL) & BlackBerry (RIMM)."

What this really illustrates is the poverty of MSFT's longstanding business plan of being primarily a software company instead of a hardware company, like Apple. MSFT is trying hard to retain the illusion of relevance in the mobile market.

Aug 26 09:33 AM