How to make a new mobile phone
When it comes to producing new technologies for mobile phones, arguably Nokia have been just about the most innovative of all companies. Ever since the early days of mobile communications, the way in which the company has introduced revolutionary technology has been unprecedented. Of course, the latest smart phones, for instance the Nokia N97, more resemble mobile computers than our original concepts of carrying a phone in our pocket.
On the surface it would seem that making such huge investments in these new technologies is a very risky business indeed. What if, after spending many millions of pounds on developing the product, followed by many more millions of pounds on launching and marketing it, it turned out to not be what people want. History is full of such disasters where super rich companies have nearly gone bust developing an idealistic dream that eventually turned into a financial nightmare.
In fact it is difficult to envisage Nokia falling into this trap. One thing that differentiates Nokia from many other high technology companies is that it does not set its sights on technology for technologies sake, but it focuses very closely on the needs, desires and wishes of its existing and potential customers.
The top design team at Nokia is both multidisciplinary and multinational, with representatives from thirty four different countries. The team, which includes just about every kind of boffin you can think of including psychologists, chemists, material scientists, industrial designers, sociologists, social anthropologists and no doubt people qualified in a whole load of additional ‘ologies, are devoted to one major mission. That is to find out exactly what people want, how they want to use it, how it will impact on their lives, along with the most efficient way in which the team can implement it.
Nokia believe that the driving force behind today’s market is the social need that people have to connect to each other. This need has been encouraged by innovations that have permitted it to happen, and is being driven by the desire for it to happen even more. So far Nokia have got it right and there is nothing to suggest that they won’t continue to do so.