US Nokia Windows Phones only coming after Mobile World Congress 2012?

August 31, 2011 | By Surur

We have received some info from a tipster making the pretty reasonable claim that Nokia’s first Windows Phone will only be released in October at Nokia World (October 26th). This by itself is not surprising and has been rumoured before.

What is somewhat new (but also not completely so) is that this will only be a European launch, and that US customers will have to wait till 2012, after Mobile World Congress 2012 (which runs from the 27th February till the 1st March) in Barcelona before Nokia WP7 handsets will reach US shores.

That would put a US launch about 7 months off; information which buyers may want to consider when presented with HTC and Samsung’s new wares at a much earlier date.

Will our readers hang on for Nokia’s newest handset, or pick up a HTC Eternity or Samsung SGH-i937 well before then? Let us know below.

Thanks to our anonymous tipster.

About Surur

Site Admin and Windows Phone enthusiast, he has been using Windows Mobile devices since before they were called PocketPC’s. He is currently sporting a HTC 7 Trophy.

Tagged mwc 2012, nokia, rumour, windows phone 7.5

Anonymous

well dang it!
I guess I can’t wait that long. I will have to go with iPhone5 (how disappointing). I was so looking forward to getting a Nokia Windows Phone 7.

http://www.facebook.com/people/Airan-Plaster/1719426825 Airan Plaster

I wouldn’t go back to iPhone if you gave it to me for free. I couldn’t see myself step away from WP after rocking the Mango beta for a while now.

Anonymous

i can understand why nokia is doing this. they want to launch with a bang. It needs to be a carefully calculated launch at the right moment. If they launch perfectly, they can propel themselves to being one of the top phone makers out. they need to advertise themselves correctly before the launch.

http://twitter.com/arnehelseth Arne Helseth

You could always import one from say the UK or Germany. Nokia is well known for providing true world-band phones.

Endeavour 1934

Sea Ray doesn’t have anything special. Not very slim plastic body, 4in amoled display, a camera that is nowhere near the quality of the N8 and a pretty much standard build of mango. I can’t see any special reason to wait for it.

Anonymous

Just buy an existing model off contract on ebay — they can be had for around $200. When Nokia comes out, I think you can sell it at little or no loss. After all, the current models should still rock with Mango. That’s what I would do if I love Wp7 but can’t wait for the nokia.
Anonymous

Just buy an existing model off contract on ebay — they can be had for around $200. When Nokia comes out, I think you can sell it at little or no loss. After all, the current models should still rock with Mango. That’s what I would do if I love Wp7 but can’t wait for the nokia.
http://www.timsmithmma.com Tim Smith

You can’t wait that long? But you can wait two years? Just wait and see what new hardware will be out this year.

Anonymous

I like a new hardware every year. I DO NOT like iPhone, but will NEVER buy HD7 phone again. Too many issues with firmware with Samsung, so I will be staying away from Samsung.

http://www.facebook.com/people/Airan-Plaster/1719426825 Airan Plaster

I have a Samsung Focus and have had no issues with the firmware so I am not sure what issues you are talking about. It’s the only Samsung I have owned so I can only speak my experience. You have T-Mobile? Do they offer a Samsung WP?

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_JFRSB7FFT2UK2MD4VIW7O5IRUQ kim

I own a Samsung Omnia 7 and I can confirm that there are a LOT of firmware problems.
I will not buy a Samsung again.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Ror-Brennan/100001053840382 Ror Brennan

I have an Omnia 7 and have not had a single issue with it. Nor has a friend of mine who also owns one. I can easily say it’s the best phone I’ve ever owned.

My previous phone was also a Samsung – an i8910. I didn’t have a single issue with that phone either. When my upgrade comes around, it’s going to be a tough choice between Samsung and Nokia for me.
Mike P

Samsung phones experience calling issues on a variety of networks … not all. Certain countries are affected in larger proportions.

Anonymous

I really hope this is false.

http://twitter.com/gorval32 Gorval32

It is. Multiple friends at GS are telling me that this report is as credible as Bloomberg’s recent report about Clearwire…oops!
http://twitter.com/gorval32 Gorval32

It is. Multiple friends at GS are telling me that this report is as credible as Bloomberg’s recent report about Clearwire…oops!

Anonymous

And there is no way I would buy a WP7 device not made by Nokia knowing the relationship with Microsoft, would just mean I would have to replace it in Feb.
Anonymous

This is hugely disappointing. I was holding out for a Nokia Windows Phone, but it looks like I’ll have to settle for something else as my contract is up and I’ve been in a holding pattern on a new phone. Maybe in 2 years I’ll get a Nokia phone.

Anonymous

Sorry to hear that Drewidian. Wait to see what WP devices the other OEM’s release this fall and hopefully one of them will prove sufficient for your phone needs. If you really are a fan of WP OS, then chances are you will find something.

http://www.facebook.com/people/Airan-Plaster/1719426825 Airan Plaster

That is just weak. Thankfully I can’t upgrade through ATT til next year anyway but my wife is ready to ditch her iPhone in Oct. and I told her that Nokia is coming out with some cool phones. I know she’ll use the Focus though. Hopefully somebody will have a cool Mango phone available by then.
Anonymous

The plan had always been for Nokia to release the first Windows Phone in 6 European countries in 2011; Nokia never once indicated that there would be a US release in 2011. Not to mention that Nokia devices haven’t been seen on ‘leaked’ roadmaps for any of the US carriers.

So yes, I had always planned to be making my purchase in 2012 anyway as this is when the Nokia devices will be released, in volume.

For the US release, Nokia MUST bring their A+ game for these devices in 2012, because they have been given ample time to do so. And the additional time should be sufficient for them to work out all of the details with ALL U.S. carriers so that they can bring both GSM and CDMA devices at the same time.

http://twitter.com/domineus Malcolm Williams

and if the european bands support tmo i’m definitely buying it

http://profiles.google.com/amxfonseca André Fonseca

In Europe 2100Mhz is the only used band. Some operators use mixed bands 2100Mhz/900MHz, but all of them use 2100Mhz.
But it all depends of the modem of the phone, if the phone supports 1700Mhz you can use it on tmo. The US is a mess in terms of mobile operators. Some use CDMA, other use GSM. GSM carriers use different frequencies.

Anonymous

Nokia has said the launch will be limited this year if at all. And all signs were pointing to Europe being the launch region. No surprise there. Actually, Feb/March time frame would be a pretty fast turnaround time after announcing the deal this spring.

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_ZWIQU6F5MNQWGAIOKNHSCSJFDE Brian

If they can launch in Europe this fall after announcing the deal in the spring then Feb/Mar for the US isn’t “pretty fast” at all.

Anonymous

It is expected that the first Nokia model will be based on an existing model HW, not a brand new design. Trust me, switching to a new OS, design HW, procure the parts, carrier test and get them on retail shelves in 12 months is extremely tough, if not impossible.

Anonymous

I really hope it isn’t true. Even though I don’t live in the US, I’m guessing this won’t be very good for Nakia’s sales seeing as people will have bought other Mango handsets earlier.
http://twitter.com/efjay01 Ef Jay

I think we were expecting the first US nokias early 2012, after MWC means Q2, which means we’ll only have the usual mediocre offerings from htc and Samsung to generate marketshare, and with their focus on android their efforts will be minimal. Lets just hope Nokia’s handsets do well in Europe and generate some positive buzz.

Unless there’s an AWS Nokia released in their first batch I’ll be kicking with my DVP’s for longer than I thought.

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_ZWIQU6F5MNQWGAIOKNHSCSJFDE Brian

This is the real scary part though – if six months in there is no buzz the media will be pronouncing it dead – even if Nokia eventually ship decent phones to the US it may be too late.

http://twitter.com/efjay01 Ef Jay

Well, not much we can do. MS seems content with the way things are marketing wise, they clearly can market stuff when they want but obviously dont think now is the time to market WP7. Time will tell if that was a wise decision to make.

Anonymous

With a wait for 2012 for US release they better make some good phones or I’ll just see what sammy has to offer. If they can get a 3.7-4.1 inch screen AMOLED, with carl zeiss camera, front facing cam, and make it look sexy like the sea ray then I would wait until late February.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1075059165 Jeff ????? Bedgood

to quote Dave Chapelle

“Man, yall f*ckin up”
http://twitter.com/rjdesh1 RJD1

Why wait for Nokia when HTC will provide some rocking hardware and if Samsung releases WP7 based on GII S, Nokia is digging a further hole…
Anonymous

Rocking a HTC Arrive with Mango Pango… Content! Can wait.

http://www.twitter.com/wixostrix WixosTrix

My bff has the Arrive and she finds it very annoying that it doesn’t let you continue messages beyond 160 characters. She has to send it and start a new one. Does it still do that in Mango?

Anonymous

To be honest Wixos, I have no idea. I don’t think I’ve ever sent a message (text?) that long.

The sentence above has 72 characters I think. I guess if you double it and add 16 more characters that comes out to be quite a text in length.

At what point does a message become a full conversation is the question? Maybe your friend can use some other form of communication that will allow for longer text messages maybe? Do IM’s have a limit on message size? How about a quick phone call? Facebook chat messages seem to let you type novels as well.
Anonymous

That is either a Sprint thing or an issue with the Arrive. On the Focus and on the HD7, as you get closer to 160 characters, its starts counting the characters. As you go past 160 characters, it tells you it will be broken into 2 messages and shows how many characters u got till 3 messages and so forth. I have sent plenty messages that have had to be cut into 3 and it shows up as one on my phone

http://www.twitter.com/wixostrix WixosTrix

That’s exactly what I’m talking about

On a Sprint forum a rep said it was a problem with the configuration for Sprint and that it was an issue Microsoft had to fix in the coding. Apparently, they notified MS about it and requested that it be fixed in a future update.

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_CINOW4Y5KWASBS57EDA7SIUQEY Pedro

I will wait till they show what they will have. I am up for renewal in December 2012, so I have to wait anyway…by then maybe we will have WP8…
Anonymous

Not really waiting for Nokia. Anything with 4.5 inch screen or more from HTC or samsung will surely meet my needs.
rsgx

Why the hell is it going to take another 7 months?

That’s pretty weak.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=25800594 Simo El

Incredibly disappointing. I am/was looking very forward to Nokia’s Mango handsets, but there’s no way I’ll be waiting until March. Sorry Nokia, I’m sure your product will be solid but your timing is just too terrible.
Anonymous

Too bad I wanted to go Nokia this Dec. but I’m not going to wait for them. WTF is with MS and there close buddies why is it always coming soon dam it!
Anonymous

I was a big fan of HTC but when HTC doesn’t show enough interest and love for Windows Phone no reason I support them and buy their handset anymore.

Samsung phones I always had problem with their sound quality in old days plus I think their phones usually kind of ugly and cheap looking.

I waited this long for Nokia phones so I will pass lame HTC phones and ugly Samsung phones and wait till Nokia comes with their new phones.
Anonymous

Good things come to those who wait and I think this is a good thing for the US market. This shows me Nokia is not rushing out rehashed designs just to get it in the hands of customers, but are taking the time to design something new. I think we will see brand new phones design wise with some awesome specs (maybe dual cores, FFC, NFC, awsome camera, etc) and possibly Tango on board, since this will be about the same time NODO was finished earlier this year (though it was held up by the carriers). Can’t wait….but I’m waiting for Nokia. I would kick myself if I bought a phone now from Samsung or HTC only to see Nokia bring out some drool worthy phones a few months later.

http://www.twitter.com/wixostrix WixosTrix

I agree with you 100%. This also explains that poll that was being held for their US branding. All Nokia phones going forward will have NFC, according to reports and you can bet they will have FFCs and awesome cameras. This also does sound like the right timing for Tango devices too.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=5738101 Bakari Kamau

I think Tango’s gonna drop months before the release of any US Nokia phone. Apollo is set to drop in tandem with Windows 8. When you look at the lineup of the dates, knowing that Tango’s a midstep to Apollo, you’ll see that Nokia’s angling for their first US devices to run the latter.

Think about it – when Windows 8 and Apollo come out, Microsoft can hype an integrated, uniform OS across any device (tablet, console gaming, mobile and desktop) in their ecosystem. By around the same time, Skype should be at minimum, integrated with Facebook, WP8, and Windows 8. This would do three things:

1) Establish the Microsoft ecosystem as a premiere social media network by leveraging Skype’s +500mil subscribers, Facebook’s +700mil members, XBOX Live’s +20mil, and Window’s Live +500mil. That is easily 1.5 BILLION members all connected through the same ecosystem. Let’s put that in perspective: Microsoft could potentially connect 20% of the Earth’s population to each other. Facetime lets other Facetimers video-conference with each other and only on Apple devices. Skype runs on any device and there’s already “an app for that” – it would positively crush that paradigm.

2) Create an platform which entices consumers to own multiple Windows devices. This will strengthen both the network and sales figures across the board. It will make WP8 too big to ignore, which will help get manufacturers on board to make great devices – at larger scales.

3) Leverage Microsoft’s existing strong performance in the console and OS markets to help drive sales of other devices, allowing them to compete more effectively against Android and Apple.

I know I’m beating the same drum over and over, but this has incredible potential to take off – as long as they don’t fuckitup.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=5738101 Bakari Kamau

Also that type of integration would boost every company involved – think what would happen to Nokia, Facebook, and Skype – all hurting in some way against competitors. Nokia gets its foothold back in America with high-end devices and a well-connected OS to flush out el-cheapo manufacturers like ZTE who are cutting into their global markets. Facebook gets a network about twice as large as it’s current one – and one that out-classes Google+1 in every way. Skype gets the customer support it’s always needed, Microsoft’s servers to ease network congestion, and easily 3x as many subscribers.
http://www.twitter.com/wixostrix WixosTrix

Idk, going by Microsoft’s typical release cycle we won’t see Windows 8 until the fall, summer at the earliest. And I’m sure there is a huge overlap of users who use Live Messenger, Skype, Facebook, and Xbox Live. I agree with all the integration stuff and I’m hoping that’s the direction they are going in.

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_CR5L6LQCROQXRGA6LHNADJRVGY Aman Singh

Its gotta be a Nokia or Nothing!!!!

Anonymous

So I guess you’re hinging your adoption of the WP OS on if and when Nokia releases a device or not?

http://twitter.com/travisnew87 Travis New

I’d like to point out to all the people here who are so disappointed that this is a rumour…that is all…
http://twitter.com/travisnew87 Travis New

I’d like to point out to all the people here who are so disappointed that this is a rumour…that is all…
http://twitter.com/dustbeta Dustin Schultz

I really wanted to get a Nokia device, but it is just taking too long. I will go with the Samsung SGH-i937. Then, in another two years I will pick up a Nokia.
http://twitter.com/dustbeta Dustin Schultz

I really wanted to get a Nokia device, but it is just taking too long. I will go with the Samsung SGH-i937. Then, in another two years I will pick up a Nokia.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_JD7ALWDGJTZDVQEG3MTBU2MBU4 ZoMbIeSaViOuR

I like this article, it falls in-line with their “Apple-like secrecy” that we heard about before. Afterall, how gratifying would it be to be fed this and then suddenly have an N9 or N8 inspired device available to the US market this year?
Anonymous

only if it’s Verizon
http://twitter.com/gorval32 Gorval32

I’m just wondering how many folks reading this BS report realize that this is just a BS report designed strictly to try to push down the price of Nokia’s stock, after it finally moved past the $6.42 resistance wall yesterday. Hedge funds don’t like it when they’re being forced to deal with a loss for short orders they have against a stock. The timing of this BS report is not just a coincidence.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=5738101 Bakari Kamau

I’d be willing to bet Nokia is pegging the release date for the same time that Skype is integrated into the Microsoft ecosystem. Think about those job postings we saw a while back for Skype integration, and how THAT kind of introduction to the market would seriously hype Nokia.

Nokia is already known for superior video/photo quality. My guess is they’re going to leverage that reputation and really make the Skype experience for the US release the tits. It will compete directly with Apple’s Facetime, but with better optics, a positively ENORMOUS user base, (think XBOX Live, Facebook, Microsoft Live, and every WP7(8?) owner) and cross-platform compatibility.

Nokia said they were focusing especially on design and build quality for the US markets – essentially righting their past wrongs. Sure, it will feel a little late, especially after the holiday season has past and there are shiny new phones everywhere – but think about what that means for Nokia on release day…

Get where I’m going with this?

Apple will have released the iPhone 5 by then and will not be making hardware changes for at least a year or so. The flood of mid-high-end Android phones will come and go. Other manufacturers like LG, Samsung and HTC will release a smattering of mid-high-end WP7.5… Then Nokia gets a full 4-5 months to make last minute bumps in specs that will PWN everything else. Microsoft gets a full 4-5 months to perfect WP8′s features with relation to the ecosystem…

They want to differentiate themselves – this is the strategy to do it. Come out with a killer mid-level and high-end phone in late spring – and do it when you don’t have to compete with iPhone mania and Android spamming. But on top of all of that, release it with KILLER Skype/Facebook/Skydrive integration. If they do that, and hype the Bejesus out of it – and the whole ecosystem – Microsoft might see this whole thing take off.

And isn’t all this suspiciously close to the anticipated April 2012
release of Windows 8? And doesn’t Windows 8 run on those new, shiny ARM
chips coming out for tablets? And aren’t both supposed to be integrated with XBOX? And isn’t XBOX rumored to get Facebook integration? And didn’t Facebook partner with Microsoft? And didn’t Microsoft by Skype?

I’m getting excited.
Anonymous

I don’t think this is sensible or factual.. Why will Nokia have to wait till CES to make a device available? Why will they do that?
Think about it during CES there will lot more devices from other OEMs which means they will get minimal exposure.
I think sometime around the Christmas holidays sounds more reasonable
http://www.facebook.com/people/Murtaza-Gori/100001779986646 Murtaza Gori

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http://www.facebook.com/people/Murtaza-Gori/100001779986646 Murtaza Gori

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