Nokia has unveiled plans to release four or five upgrades to its Symbian operating systems within the next 12 – 15 months. This strategic move comes after its market share has fallen from 44.6 percent to 36.6 percent, mainly due to fierce competition from Google’s Android OS. The decline in market share has prompted Nokia to take significant steps to revitalize its Symbian platform and regain its foothold in the mobile operating system market.
Comprehensive Upgrades to Symbian OS
These upgrades are expected to include a complete overhaul of the Symbian user interface and a more flexible home screen. Nokia aims to bring its Symbian OS in line with other leading mobile operating systems and stop its market share from falling even further. The planned enhancements are not just cosmetic but also functional, aiming to improve the overall user experience and make the OS more competitive.
During the first quarter of 2011, Nokia will be looking to release more than 50 enhancements. These will include a browser with a more intuitive user interface, which is expected to make web browsing smoother and more enjoyable for users. Additionally, Nokia is anticipated to launch new hardware sometime in 2011, which could potentially include new smartphones designed to leverage the upgraded Symbian OS features.
Future Enhancements and Market Strategy
During the second and third quarters, Nokia plans to add “a new look and feel for the user interface, a more flexible home screen, an updateable HTML5 browser, and an easier software update experience,” according to a slide from a Nokia presentation labeled “Nokia Symbian 2011 focus areas.” These updates are designed to make the Symbian OS more user-friendly and adaptable to the needs of modern smartphone users. The inclusion of an HTML5 browser is particularly noteworthy, as it will allow for better performance and compatibility with a wide range of web applications.
Android is gaining fast on Nokia’s Symbian OS, and Nokia needs these new modifications to push sales up and quell the tide of Android, which currently holds 25 percent of the market. The competition from Android has been intense, with many users preferring the flexibility and app ecosystem offered by Google’s platform. To counter this, Nokia’s strategy involves not only software upgrades but also potential partnerships and marketing campaigns to highlight the unique strengths of the Symbian OS.
Moreover, Nokia’s focus on enhancing the user interface and home screen flexibility indicates a shift towards a more personalized user experience. This could include customizable widgets, themes, and other features that allow users to tailor their devices to their preferences. Such improvements are crucial in an era where user experience often dictates consumer choice.
In addition to these upgrades, Nokia is also expected to invest in developer support to expand the Symbian app ecosystem. By providing better tools and resources for developers, Nokia hopes to attract more high-quality apps to its platform, thereby increasing its appeal to consumers. This holistic approach, combining software enhancements, new hardware, and developer support, is aimed at creating a more robust and competitive Symbian ecosystem.
As Nokia rolls out these updates, it will be interesting to see how the market responds. The success of these initiatives will likely depend on how well they are received by both existing Symbian users and potential new customers. If Nokia can effectively address the shortcomings of the current Symbian OS and offer a compelling alternative to Android, it may be able to reclaim some of its lost market share.
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