Nokia reiterated its plans with Microsoft to become the "third ecosystem" to rival Apple and Android, with an emphasis on “hyper-local” apps fueled by social networks, navigation and operator relationships.
Nokia EVP of sales Colin Giles said that Nokia will differentiate itself from the apps ecosystems of Apple and Google's Android by creating a localized navigation element centered on the concept of "collective intelligence".
"We can collect data from mobile phones and leverage the power of social networks and GPS to add location and context to that data," he said yesterday at the Visionary Address of the CommunicAsia 2011 summit.
Giles cited live traffic updates as an example, in which GPS probes, mapping apps and social networking could generate a critical mass of data to enable maps to be constantly updated as data comes in.
"This kind of data from mobile could be used to improve everything from urban planning and public health to marketing," he said, adding that privacy and consumer control were key issues to be solved as well.
Giles said that local partner collaboration, particularly with operators, was also critical to its strategy. "None of this would be possible without operator support. They know the customers, and they can bring that hyperlocal approach to the ecosystem."
Giles also cited Asia as a key region for its ecosystem strategy because of the intense popularity of social networks. "Four of the top ten Twitter countries are in Asia," he said, with Indonesia topping the list.