Wow, what a long thread - must be vacation season...

As much as we can pick apart (or praise) Nokia, I find two things here that drive me nuts:

1) Nokia is NOT losing global market share. Just look at their recent quarterly results, both overall and in the smartphone sector. The fact that they focus on emerging markets is just clever business planning.

Note also that in many markets, the phone IS the internet. The iPhone and others are computer accessories, in that they need a "real" computer to function properly. This effectively locks them out of these emerging markets, where many people don't have/want a home computer. Most Nokia devices work well an their own, without a computer.

2) Comparing the merits of phones with RADICALLY different prices is just... silly. The iPhone is far more expensive than most of its "competition". You just pay for it over the life of a loooong contract. Given the real price, it damned well better be much better than the "competition". I can buy a 5800 for $299 USD, unlocked, or an N97 for under $500. What does an unlocked iPhone/Pre/whatever cost?

Would you really choose a BMW over a Toyota if price were an issue? Guess what, for most people, price IS an issue. This is a huge advantage for Nokia, and a huge problem for RIM/Apple/etc.

And before the flamewars begin, note that I don't currently have a phone or NIT or iPod or any of that stuff. Maybe in a few weeks, when something stronger/faster/higher is announced. Or maybe not.