Since Apple launched the iPhone, the entire mobile industry has been playing catchup. Recently Sprint and Samsung have marketed the Instinct directly as an “iPhone killer.” With a new device codenamed “tube” Nokia is expected to unveil another “iPhone killer” on October 2nd.
Because Apple’s iPhone is so overwhelmingly successful, and dominant in the touchscreen space, companies use the word “iPhone” to garner attention. “Hey! Look at Me! I can beat the iPhone!” Even Apple marketed their new iPhone 3G as the “first phone to beat the iPhone.” So whether Nokia’s tube (S60) is actually on par with Apple’s iPhone is besides the point, it’s the attention and buzz that they’re after.
Not only will calling the device an “iPhone killer” get Nokia a post like this on an Apple website, but it’ll call out for direct comparison, elevating the device into the “elite” status, where they want it. So, the tactic works. Although shameless and very unoriginal, its standard practice in the business world, and Apple should be used to it by now.
Nokia will unveil its first touch-screen phone next week in a direct challenge to Apple’s successful iPhone, two industry sources told Reuters on Friday.
Both sources said Nokia would unveil its new phone — code-named “Tube” — on Oct. 2 at an analyst and media event in London. A Nokia spokeswoman declined to comment.The phone is extremely important,” said Gartner analyst Carolina Milanesi. “We have been waiting for the market leader to respond to Apple’s iPhone for a year and a half now. There is a lot of pressure on Nokia, Tarmo Virki reports for Reuters.
Nokia, which has a strong track record in the lower-end handset market, said in July its touch-screen offering would come this year and be cheaper than rival models in order to tap into a higher-volume market. “Taking into account the attention Apple has got, and good sales of LG and Samsung touch-screen phones, Nokia has to be there,” said Pohjola’s Rauhala. “As there is demand, there is no reason to leave it for rivals.”
While Nokia is marketing the device as a completely touch screen device, it’s uni-touch, not multi-touch. Which means you won’t be doing any of that fancy map zooming and scaling that you can do on the iPhone. Overall the S60 or “tube” or whatever they call it, is blatantly just a degradation of innovation by Nokia. Physical feedback, such as having the device vibrate is not a “killer” feature that will force users to switch. Which makes us wonder, with the Nokia S60, the Instinct, the HTC Diamond and Diamond Pro, is there anything that is “iPhone killing” about any of these? Maybe if you put them all together you’d have a contender.
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