Nokia Fall: A $274.4 Billion Lesson
 |
| image from adonismobile |
Nokia, the mobile phone brand that at one time was on almost every Filipino phone owner's hand is battling for it's life. It was "once worth almost $300 billion" but now "has seen its market value tumble 77% to $25.6 billion on Thursday since Apple introduced the iPhone in June 2007" says the Economic Times. $300 billion to $25.6 billion. Wow. Talk about a self-assured giant that refuses to read and change with the times.
This reminds me of Proverbs 11:2 -- "When pride comes, then comes disgrace" and Proverbs 16:18 -- "Pride comes before destruction". I'm not saying this IS the cause of Nokia's problem. I'm just wondering how it clung to Symbian OS for so long, ignoring Android unlike the other phone makers such as HTC and Samsung. Yes, it has weathered the attacks of Microsoft Pocket PC and Windows Mobile, but after the iPhone? And after Android?
When we reach the height of success and when we get to the point where we may even have become the standard, then that is the time when we should stop and think, read the times and make the necessary adjustments. Adapting to change doesn't even force us to change principles we have long held and affirmed. We may only need to make some adjustments -- like accommodating other operating systems, perhaps? But sometimes, when we finally admit we're wrong the next step is to decide what options to take. Nokia chose the exclusive road to Microsoft Windows Mobile. Uh-oh. Wrong move. Look up the mountain where Android and iPhone are. Look down and you'll see Windows Mobile just changing it's climbing gear to Windows Phone 7, and about to take it's second try up the slopes.
Windows Phone 7 is very promising but a little late. But let's wait and see what a fruit like Windows Phone "Mango" can do to a market led by a fruit maker and a robot designed to look like a man. Apple and Android have applications already numbering in the hundreds of thousands while the rebooted Windows Mobile are in the, how many? Thousands? I haven't counted. Digital Inquirer has the numbers for the first two. Intomobile had numbers for Windows Phone 7 at 11,000+ last March.
Pride doesn't really immediately cause destruction. It can be corrected. What is critical then after acknowledging you're wrong, is wisdom on what course to take. So we Christians are warned twice. Deal with pride and seek God's wisdom and guidance as we choose our next path.
I hope we all benefit from this $274.4 Billion lesson.
Post a Comment