The recent announcement between Nokia and Microsoft was a shocker for many which included large sections of the IT world, die-hard Nokia fans and even many of their own employees. Not so long ago, Nokia drumbeat their powerful strategy of a "Symbian push" on Nokia phones with an alternative Linux based MeeGo platform for high end smartphones. Things looked really good for Nokia despite the scepticism due to their immense market share. However, over the course of time there was apple's iPhone and iPad, Google's android ecosystem for mobiles and tablets which together have been a game changer not just for Nokia but perhaps for the personal computing world itself.
Nokia have realised that their strategy has not benefited them in the best possible manner. The obvious move would have been to go with an OS that's out there and established. It can't be Apple as they use their own hardware which leaves Google's android and Microsoft's Windows Phone 7 (HP's WebOS is a late entrant). Nokia chose to go with Windows Phone 7 not just as a OS partner but to create a third ecosystem to compete with the likes of Apple and Google. By ecosystem Nokia implies a partnership that must encompass phones, developers, mobile services, partnerships with carriers, and app stores to distribute software.
Such strategic partnerships have long been the modus operandi of market leaders and monopolists who hold sway over the masses. Leveraging synergy is an attractive idea for bigger companies but sadly it's something that doesn't translate into success many times. This is particularly true of the online space where dime a dozen paradigm shifts fueled by innovation threaten to derail reactive strategies such as partnerships, mergers and acquisitions. Google and Apple have achieved success through innovation rather than muscle, something that Microsoft has not been able to mimic for a long time now. Microsoft's strategies are reactive rather than revolutionary and therefore have trailed the likes of Apple and Google in areas such as the cloud applications, tablets, MP3 players and mobile OS. Therefore, Nokia's current move makes you wonder if the "burning Symbian ship" is being left for another burning float albeit a particularly large one- Microsoft!
Perhaps the biggest flaw with the announcement is the fact that it is the antithesis of collaboration with multiple partners, which is the new mantra. Collaborate with all and you survive! (Apple the lone exception) Sure innovate if you can, to push the boundaries but, at all times, collaborate. Nokia in particular has failed to comprehend this fact in their rush to cocoon themselves in a windows environment.
Times have changed and bigger companies owe their size to a lot more to collaboration than yesteryears. In the internet era business models, customer expectations and ideas are changing at the speed of light. There is still a beast in the room that can dictate the play and it isn't the likes of Apple, Nokia, Google and Microsoft. The 500 pound gorilla is collaboration!
