Back Seat Marketers

Apple revolutionized the cell phone industry, problem is, the company did so with a tether to a carrier that may have been the best starting solution, but lacked vision to the increasing speed of change happening in most industries.

Nokia has lined up a combo one-two-three-four punch in the past month in response:
1. Buys Navteq to not only be focused on GPS services, but rather to be squarely in the center of converging GPS/cellular services. The following battle over Tele Atlas has immediately proven just how valuable that deal was.
2. Announces in response to Google Android that it supports open devices and will work with the initiative.
3. In partnership with Verizon/Vodafone, Nokia endorses the emerging LTE standard that will be Verizon’s North American competitive response to AT&T with broad global support.
4. In partnership with Universal, adopts a new market model to offer unlimited access to Universal music for a year on its N-Series phones, which can be kept after the trial period.

Finally, much like Motorola that is trying to get focus on consumer interests (instead of technical ones), Nokia has transformed its organization and research on emerging trends and how it can be positioned to capitalize on them.

To do all of this and achieve 20% Operating Margins will be an impressive feat. Things will continue to change quickly and many of these initiatives have a long road of execution, but lining up a vision and the right assets to support them is the first few steps. Well played.