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Nokia’s N8 a Match for iPhone?

Nokia’s N8 a Match for iPhone?

What will help Nokia retain its dominant position in an increasingly competitive smartphone market? A metallic phone with a TV seems to be its answer.

In Singapore this week at a press event, Nokia showcased the touch-screen device, the N8, for the first time in the region. The N8 was first announced on April 27 and will hit store shelves in the third quarter, according to the Finnish handset maker, the world’s biggest producer by shipments.

It can use a pick-me-up: Earlier this week it warned that this quarter’s earnings will be lower than expected, blaming stiffer competition with cellphone rivals.

There’s been a rush of new device announcements in recent weeks. Nokia’s follows Apple’s iPhone 4, Samsung’s Galaxy S and Sony Ericsson’s Xperia X10.

Nokia is banking on the N8’s impressive gadgetry to make a mark in the smartphone market. It boasts a 12-megapixel camera and high-definition video, and will also offer streaming TV services. Nokia has inked some deals with local video providers to make this part of the phone particularly attractive to Singaporean and Malaysian customers.

A Nokia spokesman said that Symbian 3, an updated version of the company’s operating system, “has a long legacy with its users and supports multiple languages, which is important in Asian markets.” The N8 is expected to sell for 370 Euros ($459.23).

Whether it makes a dent in the iPhone’s momentum is an open question — the Apple device received more than 600,000 preorders shortly after its launch.

[Thanks: http://blogs.wsj.com]

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