I’m an S60 fanboy, and I don’t have a problem admitting it. I’m rather proud of it, really. To be fair, I’ve used every other smartphone operating system on the market, save for Android. I’ve used a Palm, several Windows Mobile, and even a BlackBerry and the iPhone (which isn’t really a smartphone, imo, but that’s another can of worms). Think about those other operating systems, though. Picture them in your head……think about whatever experience you’ve had with one of them.
Now, save that and study the image in your head. Chances are, there’s a distinct image. With WinMo, it’s likely that little flag thingy, and if it’s a Palm, you’re likely seeing a big orange circle. Android brings that cute little robot/alien thing to mind, and the iPhone looks like…well….an iPhone.
So what about S60? What is there that’s ‘familiar’ about S60, that you can bring to your mind when you think about it? Not much, is the truth, specifically if you’re in the U.S. Is that cause there’s no S60 on the market (read = offered through a carrier) here? Probably. However, the last few S60-powered phones to hit AT&T, you probably wouldn’t realize they ran S60 anyways.
Nokia/S60 has a problem with AT&T, and have been succumbing to the carrier for a few years now. I’ve owned the E62, N75, and now the 6650, the last three S60-powered cell phones offered through AT&T. What’s annoying and frustrating to me is that these phones don’t really resemble my unbranded S60-powered smartphones much, visually.
For instance, on the 6650, the Nokia Download! app is nowhere to be found – it’s been removed completely, along with the convenient Switch application that makes it easy to swap between phones. Not only that, but most of the icons in the menu have been changed, and there’s no option to change them back. This 6650 has no less than 10 applications preinstalled that I, as the user, cannot uninstall.
One feature that I rather like about S60 is the ability to reorganize the main menu as I see fit. I have a very specific layout that I like to use, to keep things in the same place on all my phones. Unfortunately, AT&T coerced Nokia into allowing them to hardwire certain applications not only to the main menu, but in the exact position on the main menu.
How frustrating! And how is S60 supposed to grow its market share in the U.S. if it keeps allowing others to overtake it, and coerce it to do things that it’s not designed to do, such as limit the user? How is S60, and soon, Nokia, supposed to build recognition and brand loyalty if they don’t stand their ground on the very features that make them stand out?
Am I the only one that sees a major identity crisis here, with S60?
Ricky Cadden 