Nokia Lumia 900: a false start in the United States

April 12th, 2012 - 06:10 am ET by C. D.

With their new Windows Phone, Nokia has been hoping to finally increase their market share in the United States. It is therefore rather embarrassing having to admit to having a bug in their leading model right from its launch, even though a patch will be made available shortly.

The brutal transition from Symbian to Windows Phone, and the solid partnership with Microsoft should allow Nokia to once again attack the smartphones sector while giving them a chance at cracking the one region that has always escaped them: North America.

Once upon a time, when Symbian reigned supreme, Nokia was the global leader on most continents, but the United States market has always been an issue as the manufacturer’s hardware and software solutions have been shunned for locally developed devices.

Nokia now holds less than 5% market share in the United States, and if they want to try and dramatically improve their market share with Windows Phone, it is impossible to leave this strategic market aside. The unveiling of the Nokia Lumia 900 at CES 2012, a top of the line smartphone which has been designed to try and crack the US market, is therefore being closely followed.

A small issue
To try and win over the public, they will need to have perfectly integrated options and features that will build trust with their public. It is therefore an issue to see that there is a bug in the system right from its launch.

This is what has happened with the Nokia Lumia 900, which is apparently affected by the loss of cellular signal in certain cases. Nokia has reacted quickly in stating that a patch will be made early next week, with the problem being software related, but market watchers and analysts are not taking a friendly view of the incident.

In partnership with carrier AT&T who will distribute the smartphone, the manufacturer will also offer 100 dollars rebate to the first users to buyers of the Lumia 900. This emergency measure will hopefully overcome initial hesitation from the public at such a crucial moment for Nokia and their new strategy.