Nokia chief issues a call to arms

Nokia chief executive Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo has used his keynote at Nokia World 09 in Stuttgart to outline where his company is, who its devices are pitched at, and where he sees the market going.

The keynote was a rallying call for businesses, consumers and the market to get passionate about Nokia and the devices it produces, while facing down stiff competition and a customer base with ever increasing demands.

This future is based on a number of elements, Kallasvuo explained, the most important of which are the mobile platform and the uses to which it is put.

"Your mobile phone is an extension of yourself. It has become your virtual eyes and ears to touch and be touched. It is as unique to you as your fingerprint," he said.

"We have to make life easier for developers and operators. By working together we can create the applications that people are demanding. We consider the platform critical to our future. This is a huge change for us. There is no going back, and we will not fail.

"People say you need a great plan and a charismatic leader. Well, we have a great plan. The emergence of new competitors and the global recession means that change is not optional. We are piece-by-piece building a new Nokia. We relish the role of the underdog. We will work hard and we will get there."

Some of this vision will involve partnerships, and Kallasvuo was keen to discuss one in particular.

"Our partnership with Microsoft holds tremendous potential for a full suite of Office on our Symbian devices. And more partnerships will be announced in the coming months," he said.

Kallasvuo was joined on stage by Annsi Vanjoki, executive vice president of markets at Nokia, who introduced a number of new devices designed to make the most of these opportunities, and win favour with customers new and old.

"We used to be driven by technology. Now we are led by consumers," he said. "Technology needs to mould itself to the benefits of consumers. We were told that we were behind in business products and software, and we listened. We are on an attack."

Vanjoki added that the Nokia N97 will shortly be joined by a 'Mini' version pitched firmly at the Web 2.0 market, and costing around €450 (£395).

"This is for people who spend part of their day saying 'I am something.' It is meant for people who associate status with Facebook rather than with driving a Porsche," he said.

Vanjoki explained that the Nokia N97 'Mini' offers a number of maps-related presence features, travel guides and other information, referring to it as "the slimmest travel companion you could ever hope to have".

Next on the agenda was the consumer-friendly Nokia X6 which comes pre-loaded with Nokia's Comes with Music system.

"If you wanted to stay legal and download the UK's top 100 albums on iTunes it would cost you €1,000 [£880]. Comes with Music gives you all of the music in the world. We expect users to rush to stores for our product," he said.

The X6 will cost around €450 (£395), and will be joined by the X3 which comes in at just €115 (£101).

Nokia has already announced its first foray into the netbook market with the Booklet 3G, which will apparently offer up to 12 hours of battery life and is "the best you can get", according to Vanjoki.

Sold with a SIM card and cellular abilities, pricing will depend on vendor deals but Nokia has suggested €575 (£506).

All the handsets discussed in the keynote are expected to come out in the fourth quarter of this year.