Nokia Maps 3.8, which was in beta for a while but then formally released for Symbian Belle devices, is now rolling out via a 16MB download in SW_update (in 'Applications' on each phone) for the Symbian^3/Anna phones like the Nokia N8 too. Screen proof and brief notes below. Although the usual component-based installer is probably at work behind the scenes, the update via SW_update is silent - just a six minute wait while it all installs. Drive, Weather, Check-in, Guides, etc. are all present and correct, in addition to the usual maps-centric functionality.
After a month in beta, Nokia Suite (for Windows) has been formally released via the usual Nokia PC connectivity pages, replacing the former Ovi Suite. It's not just a name change though. In addition to the label, there are functional changes, we've included a brief changelog below. The new release version is 3.2.100, replacing the latest beta 3.2.98 that had been in Nokia Beta Labs.
Part two of the first 'live' recording of the 361 Degrees podcast, which took place just after the close of Nokia World, is now available. Rafe Blandford (All About), Ewan MacLeod (Mobile Industry Review) and Ben Smith (Wireless Worker) take questions on the current state of the mobile ecosystem from an invited audience of bloggers and mobile gurus.
The truly venerable Nokia X6, Nokia's first ever capacitive-screened touch-driven smartphone and with monstrous stereo speakers, running S60 5th Edition, has received a major firmware update, a whopping 9MB over-the-air upgrade. It installs neatly in place and gives the old phone much the same browser as is found in Symbian Anna, plus the fairly recent Ovi Maps 3.6, itself a big upgrade on previous shipping versions. In addition, there are the usual performance tweaks and bug fixes.
Firmware updates are currently rolling out to the venerable Nokia E72, bringing it up to version 81. As usual, there is little information about what the 1.3MB update actually contains, but it is safe to say there will be bug fixes and various optimisations. Web has been upgraded too, to version 7.3.1.32. Only one of the resident E72's in the All About Symbian office has received the update, so your mileage may vary to when the update is available to you too. Read on for more details.
Nokia's next-gen 'QML' implementation of its Store client continues to advance, in beta form to v3.18.036, with more fixes, as listed in the quote below. Also offered (in theory) is a set of free premium apps/themes for C7 owners - if I sound unsure then it's because our editorial C7 didn't get offered anything!
Nokia Maps 3.8 has been in beta for a while but seems to have been formally released at last, albeit so far only for Symbian Belle devices (screens from the Nokia 700 below). There's the usual component-based installer, the separate modules for Drive, Weather, Check-in, Guides, etc. plus a brand new homescreen Maps widget showing your location in map form. The new version is 3.8.139 (11wk41 b02), for those keeping score(!)
Nokia has finally relaxed its somewhat restrictive policy of only allowing you to download paid content up to five times (it was a draconian three times, originally) - the limit has apparently now been raised to ten times. Given that you also have to be fully signed in as well, many have argued that there shouldn't be any limit, but ten is a reasonable number and should appease even serial phone switchers like ourselves!
Earlier this year, Microsoft and Nokia announced the forthcoming availability of Microsoft Business apps for Symbian Belle. The first phase of these (OneNote, Lync, PowerPoint Broadcaster and Microsoft Document Connection) are due to be delivered later this year via an over the air software update. The second phase, due to be released in the first half of 2012 and comprising native versions of Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint, was being demoed, in an early beta form, at Nokia World for the first time.
Opera has announced updates for its Mobile and Mini browsers, plus its MeeGo netbook and tablet versions. The core engine of Opera has seen numerous optimisations and tweaks, while the clients have seen significant functionality updates. Opera Mobile has been updated to 11.5 (for Symbian and MeeGo) and most notably supports viewing bookmarks saved in the Symbian browser, along with an import function. Meanwhile Opera Mini v6.5 now features intelligent autocomplete of domains and search queries. Mini 6.5 also sports a unified address and search bar, unlike Mobile 11.5.
The Nokia 600, which was announced in late August, will not be "shipped to markets", effectively meaning the device has been cancelled. Nokia notes that "we are constantly continuing to refine our portfolio to bring consumers the best possible range of devices to meet their diverse needs". A combination of narrow portfolio placement, most notably with the Nokia 500 and Nokia 603, resulting in a lack of operator interest is the most likely underlying cause.
Quite a lot has been written in comments here on AAS (and AAM) about Nokia's switch to Windows Phone for their top end smartphones going into 2012 and beyond. And a common question is "Why Windows Phone?" In other words, what makes it different, what makes its UI 'better' than Symbian - or indeed MeeGo? Determined to find out Microsoft and Nokia's answers to these questions, David and I headed to the Speakers Corner session on "Smart Talk: Life Enhancing Phones" at Nokia World...
Nokia are backing the launch of 26 free WiFi hotspots across London. The launch coincides with the soon to be released Lumia devices, but the hotspots will of course work with any type of device. Web page authentication is required, and it’s not yet clear if WEP or WPA encryption will be used. As a further tie in with Nokia, each hotspot (and future hotspots) will be listed in Nokia Maps as a point of interest.
Figures are now in from IDC for the world phone market in Quarter 3, 2011, showing the market flattening in the USA and Western Europe as saturation sets in. However, the proportion of smartphones in the overall mix continues to rise. Nokia is still king in terms of sheer numbers, selling over a hundred million phones in the quarter, although Samsung is catching up relatively quickly. IDC's stats table is quoted below, though we don't yet have a breakdown of smartphone-only sales.
Notable from the last few days have been two big updates over at Nokia Beta Labs. Nokia Suite, the renamed and refreshed version of Ovi Suite, has been moved to v3.2.98, with a veritable mountain of bug fixes and tweaks. Changelog below. And the Nokia Store QML client has been updated to v3.18.032, with two important installation fixes.
