Many industry watchers argue that software ecosystems now present one of the biggest hurdles to mobile platform owners looking to combat the mobile juggernauts that iOS and Android have become. BGR has been covering the issue for years, and in November 2010 we said that absent apps were a huge barrier for Microsoft as it re-entered the mobile space with Windows Phone. Now, nearly a year and a half later, the Windows Phone platform is being taken a bit more seriously by mobile developers, however the issue of getting premium apps onto the platform in a timely fashion persists. In an effort to combat this problem, Microsoft and Nokia have launched a new program aimed at attracting attention from emerging developers. Read on for more.

Nokia and Microsoft recently announced a new program called AppCampus. In association with Aalto University in Finland, the companies have devoted up to $12 million each that will fund developers at the university who build apps for Windows Phone and other Nokia platforms.

“The AppCampus program has been set up to foster the creation of innovative mobile applications for the Windows Phone ecosystem, and in addition, Nokia platforms, including Symbian and Series 40, to create a new generation of self-sustaining mobile startups,” the companies noted on the AppCampus website.

The program will kick off in May and will be managed by Aalto University, which Nokia has identified as a hotbed for new startups. “We are proud to announce this new program, which will enable new and existing developers to create next-generation mobile apps and unique user experiences,” Nokia EVP Kai Öistämö said in a statement. “The partnership will allow developers to ideate and monetize business opportunities globally, via both Windows Phone Marketplace and Nokia Store.”

Nokia announced on Wednesday that it has officially sold its 1.5 billionth S40-powered cell phone since the first S40 device — the Nokia 7110 — was released in 1999. A 21-year old Brazilian woman made the historic purchase in São Paulo, the company said, noting that the woman purchased a Nokia Asha 303 from a Magazine Luiza store. “We are incredibly proud to reach this milestone,” said Mary McDowell, Executive Vice President for Mobile Phones at Nokia. “Having 1.5 billion Series 40 devices sold is a hard-to-reach mark, let alone one attainable in a single line of products. At a time when we are maintaining our commitment to connecting the next billion customers around the world – it is gratifying to consider how Series 40 devices have made mobile technology accessible and help continue to change people’s lives for the better.” Nokia is set to announce its earnings on Thursday after the market closes. The company’s full press release follows after the break. 

Nokia hits 1.5 billion sales of revolutionary Series 40 mobile phones

The landmark Nokia Asha 303 device has been purchased by a 21-year-old Brazilian woman

Espoo, Finland – Nokia today announced one of the most significant milestones in its history with the sale of its 1.5 billionth Series 40 mobile phone. The device was sold to a female consumer in the Brazilian city of São Paulo and represents a historic moment as Nokia continues its strategy of connecting the next billion.

The 1.5 billionth phone was a Nokia Asha 303, a stunning touch screen handset with QWERTY keypad designed for web browsing, social networking and gaming, that features pre-installed entertainment and applications such as Angry Birds Lite.

The device was purchased from a Magazine Luiza store in São Paulo by Mayara Rodrigues, a 21-year-old who loves staying in touch with friends and family through social networks.

The first Series 40 phone was the Nokia 7110 developed in 1999.  Since then this family of phones has evolved to such an extent that they are considered ‘Smartphone Lite’ thanks to the innovations of the new Nokia Asha range.

Series 40 phones now blur the line between feature phones and smartphones.  With recent innovations including Nokia Maps for Series 40, Nokia Browser and Web Apps, Nokia Money and Nokia Life Tools, millions of consumers have enjoyed easy and affordable access to the Internet and information for the first time, with locally relevant apps and content.

Mary McDowell, Executive Vice President for Mobile Phones at Nokia, said: “We are incredibly proud to reach this milestone. Having 1.5 billion Series 40 devices sold is a hard-to-reach mark, let alone one attainable in a single line of products. At a time when we are maintaining our commitment to connecting the next billion customers around the world – it is gratifying to consider how Series 40 devices have made mobile technology accessible and help continue to change people’s lives for the better.”

Images of what appears to be the unannounced Nokia C2-06 have been leaked by Hackintosh India. Judging from the photos, the C2-06 will be a new S40 device with a slider form factor that’s capable of accepting two SIM cards at the same time. A dual-SIM phone is a good option for frequent travelers, or for two people that want to share a single device with two phone numbers. The device appears to have a low resolution touchscreen as well as a slide-out full alphanumeric keypad. Given the lack of amenities like Wi-Fi or 3G, we suspect this Touch and Type phone will likely be launched in emerging markets. Hit the jump for two more images.

[Via Unwired View]

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Following up on the 105 Damascus the company launched last month, Mobiado announced Tuesday that a new ultra-high end model has been added to its portfolio. The Classic 712 Stealth was inspired by stealth military aircraft and is built out of glass bead-blasted “aircraft aluminum” and sapphire crystal. The case is then anodize coated and adorned with hand painted sapphire crystal buttons. In terms of specs, the 712 Stealth features quad-band GSM and triple-band WCDMA (2100/1900/900), a 2.2-inch QVGA display, a 5-megapixel camera with video capture and a flash, integrated GPS and Nokia’s S40 platform. The Mobiado Classic 712 Stealth is available immediately for $2,970. Hit the break for the full press release.

TRADITION CONTINUES WITH THE MOBIADO CLASSIC 712 STEALTH: EXTREME MOBILITY

Vancouver, Canada – November 16th, 2010: Working off the 712 Series DNA, and inspired by military stealth aircrafts, the Classic 712 Stealth combines aluminum and sapphire crystal in an extreme fashion. Evolving from the history and tradition of Mobiado Stealth lineup, the 712 Stealth is certain to become a Mobiado cult classic.

The Externals: Intense design and hand crafted sophistication.

Remaining perfectly faithful to the Stealth design, the Classic 712 Stealth is the evolution of the extreme series; combining aluminum and sapphire crystal to create a sense of intense luxury.  The aluminum frame is created from aircraft aluminum to build a strong/stiff yet light body, it is glass-bead blasted to give a matte finish, and then anodize coated black to produce a rock hard ceramic coating for the toughest of uses.  Large sapphire crystal plates are precision inset into the aluminum body and sapphire gems are inlayed along its sides.  The buttons of the Classic 712EM are crafted from sapphire crystal and hand painted with black paint.  The phone is then assembled using gun-metal black stainless steel screws.  The iconic Mobiado logo is CNC machine engraved into the body to bestow a final touch of elegance.  Available with a black, clear, blue, or ruby selection button.

The Internals: Merging state-of-the-art technologies with the tradition of phone-making innovation.

The 712 Stealth is unlocked and will work with any GSM network operator.  The phone is quad-band GSM (GSM 850/900/1800/1900) and has triple band WCDMA Band I, II and VIII (2100/1900/900) coverage on up to five continents.  It is equipped with a large 2.2” QVGA display, 5 megapixel camera and video camera with flash, integrated GPS, web browser, email support, and a music player that supports AMR, MID, MP3, MP4, M4A, .WMA and AAC files.

Luxury phone maker Mobiado today announced a new addition to its portfolio of exotic cell phones. The Mobiado 105 Damascus, hand-forged using a hot-forging technique that dates back to 1700 AD, certainly does its predecessors proud. The result of the forging technique used to build Mobiado’s new handset is called Damascus steel and it was used to build swords renowned for their strength and sharpness. The 105 Damascus won’t cut you, though it will definitely carve its way deep into your bank account.

Mobiado’s latest creation features GSM and WCDMA radios, a 2-inch 16 million color display, Nokia’s S40 feature phone operating system, a 2-megapixel camera with video capture support, Bluetooth, a microUSB port and over 1GB of internal storage. Since the 105 Damascus is handmade, like all Mobiado phones, the attention to detail is remarkable. And like snowflakes — very, very expensive hand-forged steel snowflakes — no two phones are alike.

The Mobiado 105 Damascus is available immediately and is priced at $4,180. Hit the break for the full press release along with a few additional images, including two awesome shots of the forging process.

MOBIADO UNVEILS THE PROFESSIONAL 105 DAMASCUS: TRADITION CONTINUES.

Vancouver, Canada – October 28th, 2010: Mobiado continues the tradition of the Professional 105 series with stunning hand forged Damascus steel. Damascus steel is a technique of hot-forging steel, originally used in 1100 to 1700 AD to create sword blades renowned for their sharpness and strength. Every 105 Damascus is different and unique, no two phones are alike.

The Externals: Exceptional design and hand crafted sophistication.

The 105 Damascus redefines the luxury mobile phone to create an engineering masterpiece.

Damascus steel is a beautiful material, whose grain patterns appear from repeatedly hammering and folding of different types of steel upon itself. The phone frame is precision CNC machined from Damascus steel, hand polished, and then etched to reveal the stunning Damascus steel pattern. The entire front and back of the phone has been crafted from large pieces of sapphire crystal, providing a modern minimalist look with a wear resistance second only to diamond. The 105 Damascus utilizes a unique and hidden sliding battery cover mechanism (patent pending) with the battery cover being made entirely from one piece of sapphire crystal. The buttons and screws are beautifully machined from stainless steel, and then glass-bead blasted to give matte texture and look.

The Internals: Merging state-of-the-art technologies with the tradition of phonemaking innovation.

The 105 Damascus is unlocked, quad-band GSM/EGSM and dual-band WCDMA network operational. It works within North America, Europe, Africa, Asia- Pacific, and South America where GSM/EGSM 850/900/1800/1900 and WCDMA 850/2100 networks are available. It is equipped with a 2 megapixel camera and video camera, more than 1 GB internal memory, 2″ display with up to 16 million colors, Bluetooth and micro USB connectivity, and a music player that supports AAC, eAAC+, and MP3 audio formats.

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If you’re one of those people who look back nostalgically at the old T9 keypads, Nokia just may have the device for you. Today, Nokia introduced the C2 Touch & Type handset. As Nokia explains:

The Series 40 device promises best-in-class communications, with Quad band phone calling, and both 3G/HSPA and WiFi internet connectivity. It comes with Nokia messaging 3.0, the latest incarnation of Nokia’s email, instant messaging and the Communities client offering Facebook and Twitter access. The device also allows users access to games and other applications through the Ovi Store.

The new C3 offers a high-quality build for your money, with a 100% stainless steel case and a 5-megapixel camera with flash on board. It will come in Silver, Warm grey and Khaki Gold colour variations. It measures 111 x 47.5 x 11mm, with the screen measuring 2.4-inches, diagonally. The device supports MicroSD memory cards for storage up to 32GB.

The phone, which has that classic, retro, Nokia-candybar form, will cost a measly €145 (~ $190) and will be available in the fourth quarter of this year. Not a bad little device for those looking for some smartphone functionality.

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You know we are big fans of Vertu handsets around these parts, and Mr. Frank Nuovo certainly isn’t sitting in the UK counting iPhone sales while doing nothing. Vertu has, in Vertu tradition, silently announced an updated model in their lineup and it is the new Vertu Ascent for 2010. Picking up on almost all of the previous phone’s shortcomings (save for the S40-based OS, of course), the new Ascent features quad-band 3G, GPS, preloaded maps for navigation, a 5 megapixel camera, and will come in 8GB and 32GB internal memory configurations in addition to titanium and aircraft-grade aluminum casings. But, it’s a Vertu, and that means there are a plethora of different color combinations. Since the Ascent is racing inspired, don’t hold your breath for diamond-studded versions. Yet there are plenty of bright color finishes to get your juices flowing. You know, if you are into dropping anywhere from $5,000 and up on a cell phone. Couple more shots after the break!

[Via Engadget]

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If you’re a fan of low-cost messaging phones with a social twist, prepare to lose your mind, for Nokia today announced three such devices in the C3, C6 and E5. The most basic of the bunch is the C3, which just so happens to be the first Symbian S40 device to ever feature a full-QWERTY keypad. It offers a 2.4″ QVGA display, 2 megapixel camera, Wi-Fi, Ovi Chat, Ovi Mail and support for microSD cards up to 8GB. It will be be available in golden white, slate grey and hot pink in Q2 for 90€ ($122 USD). Next up is the C6. A full touchscreen with a sliding horizontal QWERTY keypad, the C6 bring to the table a 3.2″ 360×640 display, 5 megapixel autofocus camera with flash, HSDPA, Wi-Fi, GPS and Ovi Maps. Look for it next quarter for 220€ ($299 USD). Finally we have the E5. Expected to be available in Q3 for 180€ ($224 USD), it crams a 2.4″ QVGA display, 5 megapixel camera, HSDPA, GPS, Wi-Fi and support for Microsoft Exchange and IBM Lotus Notes into its tiny candybar frame. As always, we’ve got Nokia’s little promo videos queued up after the break.

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DigiTimes is reporting that mobile giant Nokia plans to forgo Symbian V2 and release Symbian V3, complete with multitouch functions, in the second half of 2010. Perhaps even more exciting than that, was what Digi’s sources had to say about Symbian 4: “Symbian version 4 is believed to be based on the Qt cross-platform application development framework developed by Trolltech. The Qt will allow software developers to develop application software supporting Symbian and Maemo platforms simultaneously.” Nokia acquired Trolltech back in June, 2008. While no details of Maemo 6 were revealed, the article does state that we’ll get our first look at Maemo 6 handsets by the second half of 2010. The source also went on to comment, vaguely, on Nokia’s 2011 product road map: “By 2011, smartphones based on the Symbian S60-platform will account for 55% of Nokia’s total handset shipments, followed by Symbian S40 feature phones at 35% and Maemo-based devices at 10%.” Not sure about you, but we’re pretty excited.

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Although it’s having a bit of a hard time looking after its own finances, that didn’t stop Nokia from splurging on some gold and subsequently gilding the crap out of one of its most popular phones in the 6700 classic. Come Q1 2010, 370€ ($546 USD) will be the magical amount of money one will have to part with in order to get their hands on the 6700 classic Gold Edition. Of course it might be wise for one to spend the same amount of money on something more capable like a smartphone, but let’s be honest: this is about as close as you’re likely to come to owning something as opulent as one of Snopp Dogg’s pimp chalices. Or one of Pharrell’s toys.

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It’s not quite as intriguing as any of the devices featured at Nokia World this morning, but Nokia and AT&T have just announced a new entry level S40 flip phone dubbed the Nokia Mural. Bearing a striking resemblance to Motorola W series phones of old, the Mural is a clam shell feature phone that would make 2002 proud. Spec highlights include 3G with HSDPA connectivity, integrated IM and email, dedicated external music buttons, a 2.2-inch QVGA internal display, a 2 megapixel camera and microSDHC support. It also sports a variety of customizable lighting features sure to prevent it from finding its way into the hands of anyone over 14 years of age. AT&T’s Nokia Mural will hit store shelves this coming Sunday, September 6th, and it will cost $49.99 after mail-in rebate on a 2-year contract.

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News flash: Nokia managed to keep a pair of handsets a secret leading up to official announcements at Nokia World! Alongside the oft-talked about N97 Mini, two previously unknown music-centric devices, the X3 and X6, became official — but we’ll get to them in a moment. The N97 Mini, as we’re sure most of you know by now, can be summed up pretty quickly: Slightly smaller than the N97, tilting 3.2-inch resistive touchscreen display, sliding QWERTY keypad, 5 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss lens and dual-LED flash, Wi-Fi, aGPS, 8GB of internal memory with microSDHC and UMTS/HSPA connectivity. Not great, not bad, but we’re also not too sure exactly who would take it over the N97, which is already free on contract in many countries.

As we said before, the X6′s announcement came as a total surprise — one that is actually quite nice. It’s a full-touchscreen (capacitive) candy bar that can pump out tunes from its 32GB of internal memory for up to 35 hours. It runs S60 5th of course; shame it isn’t Maemo-powered. Beyond that you’re looking at a 5 megapixel camera with a Zeiss lens and a dual-LED flash and as far as connectivity goes, the X6 has that lovable trifecta of HSPA, Wi-Fi and aGPS. The X3 is the alphanumeric slidin’ baby cousin of X6 that runs on S40 and has a 2.2-inch QVGA display, 3.2 megapixel camera, 46MB of internal memory, FM tuner and quad-band EDGE. Both the X3 and X6 will ship in Q4 for 115€ ($163 USD) and 450€ ($640 USD). As for the N97 Mini, it will be released next month for 450€ ($640 USD). Hit the jump for videos of each of these three handsets and let us know what you think.

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That rumored imminent announcement has come sooner rather than later as Nokia has made the rugged 3720 classic official today. The press release was light on the specifications but did confirm that the 3720 classic will be IP54 certified for water, dust and shock, and will feature an Integrated LED flashlight, 2.2-inch display, 2 megapixel camera with flash, microSD card slot (ships with 1GB card installed) and extended battery life. The Nokia 3720 will be available later this summer in a variety of colors for an expected retail cost of  €125 ($174 USD) before subsidies or taxes. Will it blend?

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As much success as Nokia has had — and still has — in emerging markets, it wouldn’t be a stretch to assume the Finnish company’s lineup is already jam-packed full of durable handsets. That assumption, at it were, would be wrong. Say hello to the company’s first water and dust resistant handset, the Nokia 3720. With IP54 certification, the 3720 will also be shock resistant if and when it drops (wink, wink) some time in September. Beyond that, our guess is that we’re looking at a pretty inexpensive handset that will run S40 and never make it to this side of the pond. Tears of indignation or shrugs of indifference?

[Via IntoMobile]

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Well, what do we have here? Apparently the Symbian OS won’t be left out of the fray this year with AT&T as a previously unknown S60 handset has been revealed in the same deck we reported earlier. The Nokia Mako, pictured in the top left, is a Symbian S60 3.2-powered device unlike anything we’ve seen from Nokia thus far. This side slider will feature a 2.6-inch QVGA screen, four row QWERTY keyboard, quad-band GSM (850/900/1800/1900MHz), dual-band HSDPA (850/1900MHz), 2 megapixel camera, aGPS, Bluetooth 2.0, 128MB of on-board memory, microSD expansion and a 2.5mm headset jack. That is apparently all the love S60 will be getting at AT&T this year but hit the jump for details on three mid and entry-level offerings from Nokia headed our way.

The remaining three handsets, the Thresher, Grouper and Snapper, share the same S40-based UI. They also share designs that were seemingly recycled from Motorolas of old. The Thresher is a standard slider with quad-band GSM, tri-band HSDPA, 3.2 megapixel camera, aGPS, Bluetooth 2.1, built-in compass, 140MB of on-board memory, microSD expansion and a 2.5mm headset jack. The Grouper is a flip phone that shares the tri-band HSDPA, aGPS and Bluetooth of the Thresher but drops the camera down to 2.0 megapixels, loses the compass, and lowers the on-board memory to 70MB. For those die hard PTTer’s out there, the Grouper also includes Kodiak PTT 5.2 support. Lastly, is Nokia’s more entry-level offering the Snapper. The Snapper is a flip phone with quad-band GSM, tri-band HSDPA, 2 megapixel camera, Bluetooth 2.1, AGPS, up to 70MB of on-board memory, microSD expansion, 2 megapixel camera and Kodiak PTT.

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