Nokia plans just one Linux phone next year: source
 

Nokia plans just one Linux phone next year: source

Mon Nov 30, 2009 4:05am EST

HELSINKI (Reuters) - The world's top cellphone maker, Nokia, plans to install Linux software on just one new smartphone next year, a source with direct knowledge of Nokia's product roadmap told Reuters.

A Nokia spokesman said the company does not comment on future product plans.

Nokia's Linux Maemo operating system is seen as a key for the top cellphone maker in its battle against Apple's iPhone, and many analysts and industry players have expected the firm to roll out numerous Linux models already next year.

Nokia started to sell its first Linux phone, the top-of-the-range model N900, this month.

The plan for just one Linux phone also dampens rumors the company would replace the Symbian operating system in its line-up.

"We remain firmly committed to Symbian as our smartphone platform of choice," the Nokia spokesman said.

Nokia will hold its capital markets day on Wednesday, an event where the firm traditionally has outlined or updated its strategy for the coming 1-2 years.

Re: Nokia plans just one Linux phone next year: source
 

Possible key word: "phone". ;)

Re: Nokia plans just one Linux phone next year: source
 

Missing key word: "rumour". ;)

Re: Nokia plans just one Linux phone next year: source
 

True, as in "source". ;)

Re: Nokia plans just one Linux phone next year: source
 

Darn closed sources. You just can't know how much trust you can put into them.

Re: Nokia plans just one Linux phone next year: source
 

Maemo is not yet ready for the world..?

Re: Nokia plans just one Linux phone next year: source
 

It makes sense. Considering the point at what Fremantle is, and the level they are trying to reach with Harmattan, in a year we would very lucky to see a Maemo 6 device. Probably it will be a refined version of the N900.

Re: Nokia plans just one Linux phone next year: source
 

If history is any guide, I expect it to be called "N900 mini" ;)

Re: Nokia plans just one Linux phone next year: source
 

Nokia N900 WiMAX LTE Edition

Re: Nokia plans just one Linux phone next year: source
 

At this rate, I expect it to be called the "N900" :mad:

Re: Nokia plans just one Linux phone next year: source
 

Man, N900 is a big letdown. It can't get away with it, just because it has 9.4 Flash (which soon other devices will get, and even 10+) & it has little desktop windows & the OS is relatively open. It's like a new born baby with 100 syndromes. What a joke

Re: Nokia plans just one Linux phone next year: source
 

N900 without a hw keyboard, here we come...

Re: Nokia plans just one Linux phone next year: source
 

In a word: no.

Re: Nokia plans just one Linux phone next year: source
 

I hope Texrat is right this once :p and Nokia has chosen - in addition to N900 and its 2010 followup model - to release lower cost "phone companion Internet Tablets" in order to 1) help the Maemo platform to gain many more eyeballs (while users still dangle increasingly low-end Symbian devices around, and 2) to help sell some of those increasingly low-end Symbian devices...

Just make 'em tablets multi-user friendly, ok?

Re: Nokia plans just one Linux phone next year: source
 

Oh, I hope you're right.

Re: Nokia plans just one Linux phone next year: source
 

That's the spirit! Keep up the optimism! ;)

Warning: I believe we will never see another Maemo device that isn't a phone. I don't like that idea, but that's what I believe.

Re: Nokia plans just one Linux phone next year: source
 

The truth is out there.

Re: Nokia plans just one Linux phone next year: source
 

It's certainly rarely in here. :D

Re: Nokia plans just one Linux phone next year: source
 

Yes, but thus far, our attempts at the Summits to get qgil, Peter, ragnar, Igor, etc. drunk enough that they say too much have resulted in precious little information leaking out. They do seem to enjoy the game though.

Re: Nokia plans just one Linux phone next year: source
 

Frankly I'd rather they spent the time and money fixing all the issues with Meamo 5 and the N900 vs. rushing to bust out with new hardware models.

Re: Nokia plans just one Linux phone next year: source
 

While I'm not a fan of this "rumor;" it would be neat to see a family of Maemo devices come in the next 12-15 months, where three of them look like the three devices from that Nokia in 2015 video. One of the devices in the vid had a (nearly) traditional form factor, and would therefore fit the assumption of one Linux phone device - whereas the other two are in the more "mobile computer" form factor.

This would essentally be a validation of said rumor, and at the same time, another means for sites to get their ad revenue on the simple fact of re-reporting unverifiable data ;)

Re: Nokia plans just one Linux phone next year: source
 

Given that the N900 is designed as a step towards a new line of devices, I would guess you are spot on. I would say the device will be he N910, will have a capacitive screen, no keyboard, and operate by default in portrait mode. Nokia will compare the response they get to this versus the response to the N900 in order to decide how to build the N1000.

Re: Nokia plans just one Linux phone next year: source
 

Do you even have one? Mine is flawless and it is the best handset that I have ever had in my entire life... You say about let down as if other devices are 100% problem free.

Stick the neck out of wonderland Alice...

And by the by, flash 10 was ANNOUNCED with a N900 in hands, Mr Big-Let-Down. Go crying to your iPhone and its weird "YouTube App".

Re: Nokia plans just one Linux phone next year: source
 

keyboardless n900 ? yuck.

Re: Nokia plans just one Linux phone next year: source
 

who else was expecting more than one ?!??!?

we already knew next device will have Harmattan

Re: Nokia plans just one Linux phone next year: source
 

Or simply N910

Re: Nokia plans just one Linux phone next year: source
 

I'm enjoying the game of checkers Nokia is playing with US carriers/service providers.
I have always believed that the "game changer" in North American markets will be the definition of the "customer".
In North America the customer has not been the end user but the carriers themselves. Nokia, I believe wants that to change and a Linux device in particular a Maemo device will change that... slowly. Very slowly relative to market share.

I also believe what qole posted but with regard to connectivity, I believe all future Maemo devices will have cell connectivity, but not all will necessarily emphasize a phone.

The next move in North America will be the 3G Notebook and devices like it. Will carriers offer data only plans? If they do, Nokia will have moved a bit closer to what I think is its goal here.

***

What led the initial growth of cell service in the US was Goverment and Enterprise accounts. Many cell phone users are not the real customer either.

Reggie recently pointed to notes from a talk given @ Mobius 2009 that indicated that more developed countries are OK with having multiple devices.

I think the success of Kindle may indicate this as well.

What ever may come, I'm thinkin' these last two points will have some bearing. :)

Re: Nokia plans just one Linux phone next year: source
 

Notice all of those countries are nascent markets? They're not experienced enough to know how realistic convergence is. I'm sure in a few years those stats will change and move closer to the global numbers. Only a guess, at this stage, however.

Re: Nokia plans just one Linux phone next year: source
 

Yeah, you know what would be great? A world without competition. Because when a product becomes untouchable in the marketplace, companies never ever take the opportunity to cut genuine R&D spending and instead focus full-time on marketing and shafting consumers. That never happens!

Re: Nokia plans just one Linux phone next year: source
 

You were cool until the "default orientation" stuff. Let ME decide that part, and just support both. Don't take me back to 2006.

Re: Nokia plans just one Linux phone next year: source
 

Im not surprised with just 1 device, they may want to not have to adopt too much different screen devices, etc keep it simple. Keep Maemo devices at the top, sort of exclusive, to compete with the other smartphones, easier to support and allow the platform to grow.

Re: Nokia plans just one Linux phone next year: source
 

I'm not saying I would want (or not want) any of the features I proposed for the N910. I'm just guessing that Nokia will change things from the N900 to better assess the market and default portrait mode is likely. If enough people like yourself complain about portrait mode (versus the number of people who have complained about landscape mode), then the final step, the N1000 (?) with Maemo 6, will likely have landscape as the default (and vice versa).

Re: Nokia plans just one Linux phone next year: source
 

most devices todat don't have default orientations. The N900 has the most popular form factor, but most other side sliding devices do both orientations.