Nokia Calls iPhone “Niche Product,” Takes Ball, Goes Home

by Eric March on April 18, 2008 at 6:18 pm

Finnish mobile giant Nokia is feeling the heat all the way from Cupertino, and it shows. In the wake of a 10% drop in share prices following lower-than-expected Q1 growth, CEO Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo felt it necessary to respond to concerns expressed by analysts at Citigroup by poo-poohing the idea that the iPhone was any sort of threat, referring to it as a “niche product.” I’m guessing he said this while quietly slipping their forthcoming big-screen S60 Touch-based iPhone competitor unfortunately named “Tube” into his back pocket and hoping no one noticed.

It’s unlikely this is genuine ignorance taking the mic here; Nokia are well-established and have had the savvy to survive as a market leader this far. This sounds more like mouth-puckering sour grapes couched in an attempt to assuage the fears of investors and analysts with haughty dismissals even as they try and furiously tamp down Apple’s market groundswell. But even as the sweat from the brow of the dissembling politician puts the lie to his promises, so too does the quietly shrill snort of derision put the lie to Kallasvuo’s fear of the iPhone looming ever larger in his rear-view.

But keep up the brave front, Olli. You’ll be needing it again when the Tube gets released. But look on the bright side: Hey, at least you still have the N-Gage Mk. II platform.

(Source: Mac Daily News)

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