Batman to the rescue? As Nokia Oyj
(NOK1V) is pulling out all stops in its fight to reclaim the throne in the
smartphone business. So accompanying the Caped Crusader is Lady Gaga, and Perry
the Platypus to build more smartphone applications which will make its devices
more appealing to customers.
Nokia Corporation
(ADR)(NYSE:NOK), the Finnish handset maker, that is expected to launch its new
Lumia smartphones on Wednesday, has
teamed up with Walt Disney Co. and DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc.to tackle an application
shortage that has left it trailing Apple and Google, Bloomberg BusinessWeek said.
The deals are
part of a strategy to ensure Nokia has the most popular smartphone apps, even
if it lags in the total number, said Marco Argenti, who oversees Nokia’s relations
with developers.
Google’s Android
operating system that has millions of applications downloaded every day is the
world’s most popular operating system with its apps being a prime attraction
for users.
Nokia had failed to
attract many app developers and it is for this reason that the company has fallen
behind Apple and Google.
As Chief Executive
Officer Stephen Elop prepares to unveil Nokia’s first devices based on the
mobile version of Microsoft Corp.’s new Windows 8
operating system in New York today, he is betting that apps with novelty
features such as augmented reality will make up for the volume handicap.
“I’m a believer that over a certain
quantity it really doesn’t matter,” Argenti told Bloomberg.. “We have partners
that are creating unique apps for us and I think Windows Phone 8 will really
take that to the next level.”
Users of iPhones and Android handsets
can choose from more than 600,000 apps -- roughly six times the number
available for Windows Phone, the operating system Nokia uses in its Lumia
devices. The app superiority has helped Apple and Android grab about 85 percent
of the smartphone market, versus 3.5 percent for Windows Phone, according to
research firm IDC.
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