Ovi Maps goes free for premium content (no N900 *yet*)

[grumps312]

Originally Posted by volt

That is how it has always been. Read back.




I think you fail to see the significance, the weight, in this statement.

Imagine Microsoft saying "our brand new OS isn't all that, wait till you see the next one!" That'd put some pressure on them, and at the same time hurt sales badly.

When they first called the N810 "step 3 out of 5", it ment they officially stated the N810 wasn't where they had their focus, their target. For years, they have been building up marketing hype for "step 5". They have basically built up a place for that phone at the risk of selling fewer "step 3" and "step 4" units because they said that.

Now, Nokia HAS to deliver on that launch. They have built up a marketing pressure over years. If they fail, they have nothing like it. It will take years for them to rebuild such an expectation.

What type of market hype have they build up for the Maemo OS to target? "Geeks" and "Developers", that is not MASS market, mass market are "Average" consumers. If they're doing what you're saying they are marketing it to the wrong people. None of my friends (average consumers) know what Maemo is, they only know Android, iPhone and Windows. The only time they've had been exposed to Maemo is when they see my phone. The UI is too complicated for them too use alone. I hope what you're saying is right.

[volt]

Originally Posted by grumps312

What type of market hype have they build up for the Maemo OS to target? "Geeks" and "Developers", that is not MASS market, mass market are "Average" consumers. If they're doing what you're saying they are marketing it to the wrong people. None of my friends (average consumers) know what Maemo is, they only know Android, iPhone and Windows. The only time they've had been exposed to Maemo is when they see my phone. The UI is too complicated for them too use alone. I hope what you're saying is right.

No, no no.

The hype they have build up is for engadget, tech blogs, phone enthusiasts, phone news sites, the people whose opinions actually matters to Nokia. The people ordinary people listen to! All of those people now know that the Maemo 6 phone is an end target that Nokia has been working towards in years.

The marketing... Yes, I agree. I think they have been marketing it to the wrong people. A lot of people here go around yelling "ITS NOT A PHONE!", didn't you hear? I don't think the N900 was built to please the average people. But it certainly is marketed towards them.

[grumps312]

Originally Posted by volt

No, no no.

The hype they have build up is for engadget, tech blogs, phone enthusiasts, phone news sites, the people whose opinions actually matters to Nokia. The people ordinary people listen to! All of those people now know that the Maemo 6 phone is a end target that Nokia has been working towards in years.

The marketing... Yes, I agree. I think they have been marketing it to the wrong people. A lot of people here go around yelling "ITS NOT A PHONE!", didn't you hear? I don't think the N900 was built to please the average people. But it certainly is marketed towards them.

I see, makes sense now. But most average consumers don't base their purchases on reviews and blog sites. Well at least my friends aren't like that.

[volt]

Originally Posted by grumps312

But most average consumers don't base their purchases on reviews and blog sites. Well at least my friends aren't like that.

True. But when I showed my N900 to a phone salesman, it lit a lil spark in his eyes. I do believe people that sell phones or people that make informed decisions do read a test or two. And the rest, they ask the sales person, or you and me.

Or they just buy the one that comes in pink. Nothing Nokia software developers do can influence that decision any much.

[Thor]

Originally Posted by volt

That is how it has always been. Read back.




I think you fail to see the significance, the weight, in this statement.

Imagine Microsoft saying "our brand new OS isn't all that, wait till you see the next one!" That'd put some pressure on them, and at the same time hurt sales badly.

When they first called the N810 "step 3 out of 5", it ment they officially stated the N810 wasn't where they had their focus, their target. For years, they have been building up marketing hype for "step 5". They have basically built up a place for that phone at the risk of selling fewer "step 3" and "step 4" units because they said that.

Now, Nokia HAS to deliver on that launch. They have built up a marketing pressure over years. If they fail, they have nothing like it. It will take years for them to rebuild such an expectation.

The biggest problem is that people don't see a disclaimer in internet ads or print ads saying :"this is step 4 of a 5 step process, and you are paying to be a beta user, we won't support this phone. Everything will be fixed in the next Maemo6 phone".

A lot of people see my demonstrations of my N900 but when they say they want one, I'm not sure whether I should talk them out of it. I'm used to computers and so on, but most "normal" people, I don't know. A friend wants to get it for his sister - she hated the 5800 - and I doubt an iPod user like her who has used Blackberries will want an N900...

[val580]

Using route66 and garmin by Binpda was so much fun

[volt]

Originally Posted by Thor

A lot of people see my demonstrations of my N900 but when they say they want one, I'm not sure whether I should talk them out of it. I'm used to computers and so on, but most "normal" people, I don't know. A friend wants to get it for his sister - she hated the 5800 - and I doubt an iPod user like her who has used Blackberries will want an N900...

I know what you're saying. I do tell the guys at work (system developers) what my phone can do that their android phones can't, but I do not recommend it for them. I can actually only think of one person I truly would recommend this phone for, but I think he abandoned Linux for iOpard or something like that.

[pityme]

@volt:
Even if you are right, and we are just "testing" Maemo. If they really won't announce full Ovi maps functionality soon, there won't be any more testers out there. And don't tell me Nokia wouldn't know this. But you may have noticed that Nokia made a lot of advertisement for the N900 in the last couple of days and weeks. If their strategy was to abandon the N900, this wouldn't make a lot of sense.

Finally, I think (or hope) by now Nokia has realized that the N900 could become a real cult device. Abandoning it would be a bad business decision, and I don't believe people at Nokia are that stupid (buying Navteq was pretty smart after all).

So, hang on, folks. There will be an announcement next week!

And, please, don't post any more of these quotes from other blogs. We know them all, we know they are contradictory - let's wait for what the Nokia officials will say next week.

B.t.w., personally I don't care about the turn-by-turn text-to-speech navigation. The problem I really have is that N900 will only be able to live up to its full potential if it has a strong community. And that community might die out if there won't be any full fledge Ovi-maps application.

[volt]

Originally Posted by pityme

@volt:
If their strategy was to abandon the N900, this wouldn't make a lot of sense.

(...)

So, hang on, folks. There will be an announcement next week!

I believe there's a bit of leeway between "abandoning the N900" and "porting Symbian software to Maemo in three weeks". If there is an announcement next week (and I think you're right there might be) it is to clear up the mess from people not understanding the pretty clear message from Nokia.

"In a call with Michael Halbherr, Nokia's VP of Social Location, we were told that the new Ovi Maps would arrive on the flagship N97 very shortly. It's currently a "software logistics issue" related to the maturity of the N97 device. N900 owners shouldn't hold their breath, though, as Nokia is focusing on bringing its free navigation service to the next generation of Maemo devices. That's not to say that the N900 won't get it eventually, only that it's not currently on the roadmap."

This is about as clear English as you can get it in.

One way to clear up the mess would of course be to put it on the roadmap.

[Wiener]

Originally Posted by volt

...

No, I know the N900 is sold as a full blooded phone. People should expect to get a fully completed product. I saw an ad for it last night where it was called an "Outstanding Phone". But not even the iWhatever was really done when they released it. Either way... I don't think Nokia will invest as much time in perfecting this phone as they will on the first Maemo 6 phone. I really don't. And frankly there is nothing out there to suggest that Nokia is putting a lot of prestige in making a perfect N900.

The N900 isn't the one they're scared to f*** up. In my opinion.

Lets hope that.
It seems they are already moving forwards to M6. Support for Maemo has no good history ...