Nokia changing direction

At a Nokia shareholder meeting last week, CEO Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo seemed to indicate a change of direction for the entire company: "Our goal is to act less like a traditional manufacturer, and more like an Internet company."

Thus Nokia has reorganised its mobile phones, multimedia, and enterprise solutions divisions into two segments: devices and services. This, together with the existing, but unchanged, infrastructure division, and the pending acquisition of GPS specialist Navteq, should equip Nokia in its bid to take on Internet companies such as Apple, Google and Microsoft.

This is an interesting approach from a major company, in which the future is likely to see less time spent on hardware and more effort developing improved software--Nokia may even have an advantage with its 'Comes With Music' venture. "I ask for some more patience from the shareholders. There is quite a lot better to be seen ahead." added Kallasvuo. The question remains as to whether Nokia will target the business market or go for consumer level features.

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