Nokia Admits Defeat, Vows to Redevelop Mobile App Store

Posted 12/11/2009 at 10:15am | by Paul Lilly

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If nothing else, Nokia is owed kudos for having the brass to admit that it had failed to present a reasonable challenge to Apple's dominance in the mobile app business. That's something the No. 1 phone maker isn't taking lightly, and the company said it plans to release a "refreshed" Ovi Store next spring.

The efforts to completely redevelop its mobile app store will largely be drivin by criticisms of Ovi on sites like Twitter.

"We have screens up in our offices running the Twitter feeds all day long," said George Linardos, head of products at Nokia's media group. "It's like sitting there and getting punched in the face. But when we make improvements we see the impact instantly."

Whether or not the world's largest cell phone maker can realistically take on Apple in the mobile app space remains to be seen, but you have to admire the company's candid honesty and willingness to listen to customer feedback.

As such, some of the new features being planned include in-application payments, an overhauled interface that should make apps easier to discover, and faster operation. And looking longer-term, Nokia envisions the Ovi Store including recommendations based on friends' app purchases and more localized content.

Image Credit: modmyi.com