Microsoft published details of its upcoming Windows Phone 8 update on Thursday, revealing the minor changes that are due to roll out shortly. Known as General Distribution Release 2 (GDR2),

According to sources familiar with Microsoft’s Windows Phone plans, the company is in a “shut up and ship” mode. We’re told that the lack of significant changes is due to the focus on Windows Phone’s “Blue” update. The future update, expected in early 2014, looks set to include a notification center, improved multitasking, and changes to built-in apps.

We’ve learned that Microsoft had planned to roll out a number of Windows Phone updates more frequently, but delays in testing new chipsets and bugs in some of the GDR updates have slowed down feature additions. One particular bug with unbranded devices not sold by carriers is said to have affected the way a handset is identified on a network. We’re told that Microsoft had a hard time fixing this particular problem, resulting in delays to other planned work.

We’re told that most of the focus for Windows Phone software improvements is related to hardware release and refreshes. The future GDR3 update will include support for 5- and 6-inch Windows Phones with 1080p resolutions, and quad-core chipsets.

Microsoft Corp. MSFT -1.11% recently held advanced talks with Nokia Corp. NOK1V.HE +3.08% about buying its handset business, people familiar with the matter said, as laggards in the fast-moving mobile market struggle to gain ground.

The discussions faltered over price and worries about Nokia’s slumping market position, among other issues, these people said. One of the people said talks took place as recently as this month but aren’t likely to be revived.

“We have a deep partnership with Microsoft, and it is not uncommon for Nokia and Microsoft to meet on a regular basis,” a Nokia spokeswoman said

It isn’t clear how much money Nokia wanted for its handset unit. Nokia’s U.S. stock-market value is more than $14 billion, and the company generated nearly half of its €30.2 billion, or about $40.15 billion, in revenue last year from its mobile-phone segment.

Hardware and software suppliers, retailers, television networks and many other companies increasingly see smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices as fundamental to their futures. Consumers are spending more of their time glued to their phones—watching videos, shopping, keeping tabs on their friends and staying on top of work—than on the personal computers once at the center of the tech sector.

Nokia agreed to use only Windows Phone software to power its smartphones. Microsoft agreed to spend billions of dollars to give Nokia help with marketing and engineering.

But the partnership so far has failed to significantly lift the companies’ mobile fortunes.

Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer has continued to defend the promise of its phone software to become a major contender. But it remains a disappointment

Even with Microsoft’s new emphasis on homegrown hardware, it isn’t clear why Microsoft would be interested in owning Nokia’s devices business, which is mainly comprised of mobile phones. The companies’ existing partnership essentially made the Finnish company entirely dependent on Microsoft, without requiring Mr. Ballmer to buy Nokia outright.

Ever since Nokia first announced that it’d be adopting Windows Phone as part of a “strategic partnership” with Microsoft, the Finnish manufacturer as steadily been turning its focus away from its Symbian-based products in favor of its Windows Phone-powered Lumia hardware and its affordable line of Asha handsets. Now a new report claims that Nokia will soon complete its transition from Symbian by ceasing shipments of products running the operating system.

According to the Financial Times, Nokia is planning to stop shipments of its Symbian-based smartphones this summer. The company isn’t expected to make a formal announcement regarding the decision since there’s still stock of Symbian hardware in some parts of the globe.

We heard Nokia was planning on releasing a true, full-on PureView Windows Phone that would have a sensor as ridiculous as Nokia’s 41-megapixel 808. Only this time it would run Windows Phone. Could this be it?

Nokia is preparing a Windows Phone version of its 808 PureView, and early prototypes of the device appear to have made their way into the wild. Designed as Nokia’s next major flagship with a 41-megapixel camera, and codenamed EOS, a device that appears to resemble a Lumia with a large camera sensor has appeared at Chinese site WPDang.

- Arrogance – from senior executives to customers working in groups. Jorma Ollila saw it and talked about it the last year of existence, but it was too late, says one commentator.

- Either we do not believe in their own market research, we understand our customers and our arrogant leaders thought they knew better. We just finished a discovery and we became followers, says another one.

Workers accuse including Nokia’s management LinkedIn online community discussion. The chain has become more than 90 comments.

Former nokia range of about 40 per cent market share and sales of hundreds of millions of phones was consistently rely too much on themselves and Nokia’s unshakeable position.

- I have never seen a company of so many leaders whose sole function was to send emails to other leaders.

- Later, I heard that my colleagues in Oulu find the (ironic) celebration, when the leader and boss tittles exceeded the number of employees of other Nokia’s phone book.

- “Connecting People,” in spite of the argument we had very, very little insight as to how the actual consumer used our equipment.

Nokia focused on serving operators instead of customers.
On the other hand other comments Nokia’s allegedly responded arrogantly to operators, especially in the United States.

Instead of development of product the the company’s management rather relied on increasing market share at the expense of quality, risk avoidance, and cost cutting.

Thus, bringing new ideas, products became difficult, if it does not have to prove to bring income. Thus, internal meetings was the safest way to knock out new product ideas and to favor certain cost-saving measures. At the same time was avoided responsibility for any failures.

- Even small things shot up many administrative layers higher up, and the decision-making process was really slow.

This is why Nokia is often delayed by the mobile phone industry from breeding new technologies, the ex-Nokia employees claim.

The tragedy was that many of the new technologies were invented by Nokia in the past, but the project was suspended because of their popularity and revenue was not sure.

Nokia had to hire more people to grow up. Therefore, the company also reached unqualified workers. This happens often in companies, and to a certain extent that there is no great harm.

If the company is not careful, an upward turn, with unqualified access to hiring new employees. After this, providers will begin to leave the company.

- You do not say, “I made the wrong choices.” If no one is responsible for the wrong decisions, then all are responsible

Source: http://www.digitoday.fi/bisnes/2013/05/31/ex-tyontekijat-avautuvat-taman-takia-nokia-romahti/20137555/66

Subcontractors have been kept a tight grip on Nokia’s incredible rise and collapse like the return of mortal among the Finnish industry is of great stories. We can no longer boast of the world’s greatest mobile company, but if we can learn something about the story?

Seppälä started in early 2002, Elcoteq’s the same with Nokia, the company’s net sales of 1.2 billion came from Nokia. It was a huge amount of money, and the pot grew at a rapid pace.

“The decisions we were away from easy. While Nokia demanded constant discount prices, volumes grew so strong that it does not feel bad, “Seppala says.

“Nokia was used to justify the decision. Whenever the Nokia demanded something we agreed to do, it lost the trade. ”

Nokia’s “Seduce and squeeze”-tactics revealed Seppälä and Elcoteq’s owners, when Nokia first demanded Elcoteq to invest in the establishment of new factories, and when the investment was made, since the price cranks down.

“Nokia is a company full of unwieldy bureaucracy,” said second sub-contractor.

“Nokia is very prescriptive, slow and sluggish. Decision-making is a long process and requires all long internal politics, “replied the third, and continues:” The Nokia deals with other companies to subordinates, even in a situation where we are in the same line. ”

Nokia’s peak years, many entrepreneurs had difficulty in accepting that had driven the company to a situation where a significant one too, customers have grown to full power. Nokia was in the days of greatness like Caesar. It depended on the position of the thumb, to achieve the Finnish subcontractor fabulous success, or it crashed to destruction.

Then it happened.

When Caesar then fell down, and at best 65 euros share price fell to less than two euros

Source: http://www.tietokone.fi/uutiset/mita_voimme_oppia_nokiasta

Nokia’s VP of European Sales and Marketing, Chris Weber, and asked him where Nokia’s future lies.

“Microsoft has the broadest ecosystem across phone, tablet, PC and XBOX – what we call the digital lifestyle”

“There are two reasons we bet on Microsoft. First, we felt we could differentiate, so we’re partnering tightly with them, and specifically on imaging. Second, Microsoft has the broadest ecosystem across phone, tablet, PC and XBOX – what we call the digital lifestyle, and that’s something that’s not talked about enough. Cloud services like Skydrive, Search by Bing, XBOX gaming assets and Skype… this is a whole set of things we define as the digital lifestyle and being able to tie all that together makes us very excited about being in bed with Microsoft.”

He’s undoubtedly got a point. The Microsoft ecosystem is far-reaching and well established, and Nokia Lumia represents the very best Windows Phone has to offer. But it’s still hamstrung by the historically poor press, a generally negative consumer perception that it’s always going to be second fiddle to Android and Apple, and this sense of a last-minute last stand for survival. The consumer is not convinced.

“We’re making progress. We sold 4.4million Lumia devices worldwide in Q4 2012, then 5.6million in Q1 2013 and we said we’d grow even faster in Q2.”