Nokia drops MeeGo phone before launch (Reuters) [LWN.net]

Nokia drops MeeGo phone before launch (Reuters)

Posted Feb 9, 2011 16:20 UTC (Wed) by angdraug (subscriber, #7487)
In reply to: Nokia drops MeeGo phone before launch (Reuters) by pboddie
Parent article: Nokia drops MeeGo phone before launch (Reuters)

Eldar Murtazin, a notoriously well-connected journalist who keeps a very close eye on Nokia (and was the first to publish a review of N900 way before it came out), has speculated over a week ago (Russian version of that article was posted on Feb 1st) that insider trading is the most reasonable (if not the only sensible) explanation of the recent shake-ups Nokia. The supposed "leak" of Elop's memo fits this theory like a glove.

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Nokia drops MeeGo phone before launch (Reuters)

Posted Feb 9, 2011 17:09 UTC (Wed) by pboddie (guest, #50784) [Link] (3 responses)

I don't buy into the argument that Nokia is being "played" by US investors so as to be completely unable to pursue any sensible objectives, if only because you can read stuff from years ago about internal rivalries which were probably a large factor in why, for example, the Nxxx tablets were kept sidelined as niche, non-phone products (as someone else pointed out). All you need is someone with a vested interest in Symbian-related engineering whispering into the ear of some executive about Linux not being ready for phones (which Nokia's competitors have demonstrated to be laughably untrue), and you can park the radical projects that the company needs to get out to market for several years.

I was more pointing out the whole expectations rollercoaster: get superficial analyst and media people excited about yet another alliance of the big names, watch stock prices rise (for no really good reason, if you consider the strategic and logistical issues), and then wait for the eventual news. Depending on how you think the stocks will react afterwards ("elation" or "disappointment"), you'll have one kind or other financial instrument at the ready to cash in. This kind of media-priming is all about guaranteeing an exaggerated reaction.

Nokia drops MeeGo phone before launch (Reuters)

Posted Feb 10, 2011 10:39 UTC (Thu) by angdraug (subscriber, #7487) [Link]

You are probably right about the internal rivalries playing a big part, and still, when I see "leaked CEO memo", insider trading is the first thing that comes to mind.

Nokia drops MeeGo phone before launch (Reuters)

Posted Feb 10, 2011 13:44 UTC (Thu) by hitmark (guest, #34609) [Link]

Lets not forget about "innovators dilemma". If they went whole hog on Maemo/Meego, and it ends up washing away they symbian foundations of the companys portfoliy in the process, then they have nowhere to go if it should bomb. Long term investors hate that, while short term investors could not care either way.

Nokia drops MeeGo phone before launch (Reuters)

Posted Feb 10, 2011 14:28 UTC (Thu) by yaap (subscriber, #71398) [Link]

"This kind of media-priming is all about guaranteeing an exaggerated reaction."

Oh yes. Watch as all web sites point as each other as evidence of their (often weird to me) interpretations. And when you go up to the source, it's only hearsay and out-of-context interpretation of bits of sentences.