Nokia to popularise Symbian devices in emerging markets

Nokia has launched its developer programme, Forum Nokia, for its Symbian mobile operating system to help harvest new applications.

Nokia is aiming to increase its handset sales by popularising OS through the “Calling All Innovators Contest”, particularly in emerging markets, according to the Forum Nokia executive. One of the three competitions is designed to encourage application development.

Forum Nokia’s vice president, Tom Libretto, in an interview stated that developers, the majority of whom belonged to advanced nations, did not focus on applications for emerging markets. He explained that proposed competition was being organised to make developers ponder over the needs of those markets, adding that developer ecosystem could help by delivering weather information or real time market updates by inexpensive means like SMS.

Libretto cited example of an Indian farmer who could be assisted in getting advanced information on prices of wares at different places instead of making long trips everyday to various markets. He claimed that such applications would popularise Symbian devices in emerging markets while driving their sales as well.

According to Libretto, the competition would also help other handset vendors to boost their sales, while Nokia would try to differentiate its handsets from others in price and form.

The other two competitions included applications for reduction of environmental impact and advanced utilisation of phone technology.

The first, second and third place winners in each category of the competition carry prize of £14,000 and a trip to mobile World Congress next year, £10,000 and £5,000 respectively.

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