Will N-Gage push operators to release branded v20 firmware?

[randomfan]

Having read about the launch of N-Gage just now, I've gone straight to the site to download it, and noticed the minimum firmware requirement of v20. Obviously most of the people on this forum have debranded, but that's only a small percentage of all the N95 owners; that means the majority of N95 users won't actually be able to get N-Gage on their phones.

Once Nokia makes the formal announcement next Monday, I can the network operators getting a fair number of calls asking why they can't get the latest firmware. How do you think the networks will deal with this? Perhaps this will encourage the networks to speed up the release of branded firmwares?

[deebr]

Originally Posted by randomfan

Perhaps this will encourage the networks to speed up the release of branded firmwares?

Funnily enough, Three released their branded version of v20 a week or so ago. When I noticed the v20 requirement for n-gage, I did wonder if the two events were related. Perhaps I'm just a cynic.

[Casperuk]

this is going to be a pushing point but why v20 when v21 is out.

[3Shirts]

I assume v20 is required due to the Demand Paging

[Steve_R]

Personally I think the operators are too narrow minded to even give 2 hoots about a) what their customers actually want and b)what Nokia are doing with N-Gage.

If it doesn't make the operators money, they aint interested!

[deebr]

Originally Posted by Steve_R

Personally I think the operators are too narrow minded to even give 2 hoots about a) what their customers actually want and b)what Nokia are doing with N-Gage.

If it doesn't make the operators money, they aint interested!

Probably true. Although if n-gage is a success, it should drive demand for S60 phones and data plans. These should make the operators money, and so make them sit up and take notice.

[Casperuk]

but it will in gprs charges

[Steve_R]

Originally Posted by deebr

Probably true. Although if n-gage is a success, it should drive demand for S60 phones and data plans. These should make the operators money, and so make them sit up and take notice.

I would say that in future devices then this applies, and the operators will certainly be interested. However, developing new firmware for existing devices costs them money, so I doubt they will be in too much of a hurry, if at all.

Originally Posted by Casperuk

but it will in gprs charges

True, but all of the devices compatible at the moment have Wifi, which, in your example, loses the operators potential revenue.

[Casperuk]

if your in a wifi hotspot then great, if not then it's 800000000000000 pound a minute from your network