Nokia’s decision to revive the N-Gage brand has been seen by many as a curious one, considering the lack of success on the market the gadget that bore that name had to face.
However, Nokia’s plans were not to have yet another mobile gaming platform that gracefully fails to meet expectations. Instead, with the new N-Gage service, the Finnish telecom behemoth opened doors to a whole new era of rich Internet content on mobile phones, which can hardly be compared with what Apple’s iPhone offers.
One big reason for which Apple’s offering is inferior (at least today) is the lack of 3G capabilities for the iPhone. While Nokia’s state-of-the-art N95 smartphone has a built in modem for 3G+ speeds (which can theoretically reach 3.6 Mbps), iPhone’s EDGE connectivity from AT&T is definitely an obstacle if you want to do more than just simple Web-browsing.
This is what Nokia tries to exploit with its newly unveiled Ovi portal, in which not only the N-Gage service will be included, but also the Nokia Music Store and a slew of other unannounced services, all Web-oriented.
Ovi, which in Finnish means “door”, is Nokia’s new Internet services brand name which “enables consumers to easily access their existing social network, communities and content, as well as acting as a gateway to Nokia services.”
Customers will be able to play on their N-Gage phones content ranging from music to games specifically designed for Nokia’s platform. They will be able to either try or buy that content, which Nokia said it will be available from diverse and consecrated artists and publishers. Ovi fans will also benefit from the previously launched Nokia Maps (now available by default on the high-end N95 model, but also on other phones too) a navigation service that offers maps, city guides and more.
Speaking at the Nokia Go Play event in London, Nokia President and Chief Executive Officer Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo presented Ovi and the new Nokia services for consumers, and spoke about the company's future plans as an Internet company: "The industry is converging towards Internet driven experiences and Ovi represents Nokia's vision in combining the Internet and mobility. Nokia is the number one mobile device company in the world. Looking into the future, we will deliver great devices, combined with compelling experiences and services, to make it easy for people to unlock the potential of the Internet."
"We started this journey with our navigation services earlier this year and we are now combining all our services into a single branded offering - Ovi by Nokia. Over the coming 12 months, you will see us integrate new user interface elements, service suites and web communities to Ovi," added Kallasvuo.
Besides playing games, listening to music or searching for a particular location, registered users of Ovi will be able to share their content with others, thus creating what is probably the first real social network for mobile phones (although Ovi will also be accessed from a PC). The first version of Ovi.com is scheduled to go live in English during the fourth quarter of 2007 and additional features and languages expected to go live during the first half of 2008.
Nokia Music Store, a counter-candidate for Apple’s iTunes, will pack millions of tracks from thousands of renowned artists or local celebrities, users having the option of streaming that content on their compatible Nokia handsets or download it directly on their phones and PCs. Compatible devices include the multi-media monster N95 (which is now endowed with an 8GB built-in memory) and the recently unveiled N81. The latter, considered a “multimedia computer”, boasts with dedicated music and gaming keys, 3.5 mm headphone connector and 3G and WLAN connectivity. The standard N81 (without the 8GB memory module) will cost 360 EUR before subsidies or taxes, while the 8GB model will retail for 430 EUR, both versions shipping in the fourth quarter of 2007.
Customers will be able to browse for new music, get recommendations or search for their favorite artists, songs or albums. Once a track captures their attention, they’ll be able to add it to their wishlist to buy later or purchase it immediately for download to their device, without having to download the same song again on their computers. Subscribers will also have the option to transfer purchased songs via their PCs to compatible Nokia devices, including the Nokia 5310 XpressMusic and Nokia 5610 XpressMusic. Payment options include credit cards, PayPal and pre-paid vouchers. Tracks are typically delivered in high quality 192Kbps audio in Windows Media Audio (WMA) format.
The service will debut this fall in key European markets, with additional stores in Europe and Asia opening over the coming months. Individual tracks will cost EUR 1.00 and albums from EUR 10.00, with a monthly subscription for PC streaming for EUR 10.00.
"The Nokia Music Store brings together a powerful combination of great music and great devices in an easy to use way. You can select from a huge range of music, including local music from your country, and download it directly to your Nokia device," said Tommi Mustonen, the head of Nokia's music activities. "You can choose between purchasing tracks a la carte via your Nokia device or computer, or you can stream an unlimited number of full length tracks to your computer. The unlimited streaming is a great way to discover new music and the integrated mobile and PC download service is a fantastic way to build a music collection that is always with you."
Last, but not least, the revival of the N-Gage brand gave Nokia the opportunity to partially wipe out the negative image the N-Gage gaming phone left in customers’ minds, and the gaping hole it provoked in Nokia’s pocket. With the new N-Gage service, Nokia-phones owners will be able to try all N-Gage games for free (which doesn’t mean that they’ll have only N-Gage games) and once they decide upon buying a title, they’ll be able to download the games either on their PC or on their handsets.
