On mobile phones

There is an interesting and thought provoking post at Slashdot. Summery: Nokia lost about 4% of global marketshare of mobile devices, which is about 13% of their sales. One of the steps they are taking to struggle with it is introduction of 35 new phone models this year.

I have been thinking a lot on this subject for some time now. ..

Exactly a year ago I have bought SonyEricsson P800. At that time I was sure that the phone does everything I need plus a lot more. It was a sort of long term investment. When I have got it, I was happy with it. It did indeed did everything I needed plus a lot more.

About three month later I realized how useful the phone was to me and how many things it was doing that I didn’t expect from a mobile phone. It got me thinking on what else could it be possible for a mobile to do that I would use happily. I came up with a few things.

Than I saw SonyEricsson P900. It did few more things compared to P800 and looked much better too. I thought a bit more. Searched the web. Thought more. Searched again. Blah blah blah.

Now I think that there is a lot of functionality that can be built into the mobile phone. Many people don’t ask for it, because they don’t know that it can be done. Or they are not used to Hi-Tech in their mobile. The pity is that most of the technology exist and doesn’t cost a lot. But noone seems to put it all in one body.

Here is what I what I have in mind now:

• Everything that SonyEricsson P900 does
• Wi-Fi card
• Unlimited memory expansion. P800/P900 use Sony Memory Stick Duo which is pretty much limited by 128/256 MBytes and cost a lot. At the same time, Compact Flash cards are measured in gigabytes and are much cheaper technology overall. That is mostly due to the reason of being an open technology and not being controlled by a single vendor, like Sony.
• Some sort of expansion slot. Sometimes I want to stick a GPS card in my phone, another times it is even more memory then I have, yet another times it is something else. I don’t have to know it when I buy the phone and I don’t have to buy a phone every time I get a minor wish like that.
• FM radio receiver. I know there are external appliences for P800/P900, but they are far away from what is really needed.

I do expect all of this functionality to be in the P900 similar body. And at this time I don’t care how much it costs. It is not that expensive anyway. It should get cheaper with time like it does with everything except for antiques.

So, it appears that not only I am not satisfied with a current offering and need something more, but I know exactly what I want. There are few more people around who know exactly what they want. Basically, the common trend is for expandable devices, either with hardware, or software, or both.

Most of the unsatisfied people are in constant search for a better solution. And what do they get in return? Instead of a satisfying solution they get an offering from a major mobile phone manufacture of a new 35 phone models, which will (I am 99% sure) have the same 99% of functionality and a different body to enjoy. Crap. We are not yet at the stage when people are satisfied by functionality – why play with appearence?

It reminds me of a Masloff theory. It seems that mobile phone companies in majority are offering Bach music to hungry people. I mean of course some hungry people enjoy listening to Bach, but if we are talking money, hamburgers and hotdogs would be a so much better business at this time.

Maybe I am wrong and missing something though…

P.S.: Those who are still wondering why Nokia is doing so badly should check out the Sidetalkin’ website. :)