Speaking at CeBIT 2004 today in Hanover, Nokia management highlighted digital convergence and mobile multimedia as key drivers in today's mobility industry. Jorma Ollila, Nokia Chairman and CEO, spoke at the T-Mobile conference and Pekka Ala-Pietilä, Nokia President, gave a keynote speech at the ICT World Forum.
"In advanced markets like Germany, we will see new uses of mobile devices, driven by the exciting developments in enterprise solutions and consumer multimedia," said Jorma Ollila at the T-Mobile press conference. "The tm3 approach introduced by T-Mobile today is an excellent example of an innovative, user-oriented approach to multimedia services.
"The Nokia 6600 has been a success in Germany, proving the need for high-end imaging devices, and the Nokia 7610 smartphone with a megapixel camera launched at CeBIT yesterday caters to the needs of trend-setters and business users alike."
In five years, mobile communications will be very different from what it is today. Catering to consumer needs continues to be key for success. "When we talk about life going mobile, it is all about people, and how they use mobile services to enhance their lives," Ollila said. "3G is a key enabler for advanced services, and consumers will see it in new functionality in their terminals, in new exciting services offered by operators, and in the improved user experience of services."
3G has become a reality; commercial networks are in use in several European countries. Nokia expects to see over 50 3G networks in commercial use by the end of this year. Today, Nokia 3G terminals are already sold in 50 countries around the world.
"We will see a lot of exciting new services and devices entering the market this year, giving people more opportunities to enhance their lives," Ollila said.
Delivering the benefits of digital convergence
In his keynote speech at the ICT World Forum, Pekka Ala-Pietilä, President, Nokia said "The rapidly evolving digital convergence is taking the mobility industry to an exciting, new phase. We are committed to delivering the benefits of digital convergence to consumers by expanding mobility into new areas such as imaging, music, media and games - and by truly integrating mobility into the workplace."
At the same time, voice continues to play an important role. Ala-Pietilä reiterated Nokia's vision for 2 billion subscribers in 2008. "For many, a mobile phone will be the first and only kind of communications device.
Ala-Pietilä emphasized user acceptance, enabling technologies and software platforms, and business models based on partnerships as the cornerstones for the continued success of the mobility industry.
"We gain user acceptance by offering services that enrich people's lives, allowing them to interact with the world in the different domains of life. The technology enablers are largely in place, and we must continue to protect and energize the mobile communications ecosystem by creating an environment based on open standards and platforms. Finally, we need to strive for win-win-win business models, which generate opportunities for all players and foster innovation," said Ala-Pietilä.
At CeBIT, Nokia launched its first megapixel camera phone, the Nokia 7610, as well as a range of innovative mobile enhancements for storing, viewing and sharing mobile images. Nokia also announced the world's first massively multiplayer online mobile game, Pocket Kingdom: Own the World, which will allow thousands of players from around the world to connect with each other and compete through the N-Gage Arena.
Nokia is the world leader in mobile communications, driving the growth and sustainability of the broader mobility industry. Nokia is dedicated to enhancing people's lives and productivity by providing easy-to-use and secure products like mobile phones, and solutions for imaging, games, media, mobile network operators and businesses. Nokia is a broadly held company with listings on five major exchanges.
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