[machinagod]

>>> Nokia's software was good and competent, but they simply don't have access to the mountains of UX data needed to develop the next generation of OS's to compete on the touch screen.

This statement doesn't seem correct to me. Nokia has a vast amount of research on mobile UX, even from before Apple joined the play, probably as no one other company. As a (stellar) example, check out Jan Chipchase's work (http://janchipchase.com/) with a ton of in-loco research on mobile phone usage, and many research papers presented - with a particular focus on the non-developed world.

In my opinion Nokia suffered from big-company chronic slowness: the current cash-cow was still providing the income, hence all future investment was unfocused, under-funded.

PS: A nice question is still how much/if any of the investment of Nokia in the undeveloped world will still be able to bring some returns. Windows Phone completely eschews that...

[brudgers]

Your analysis of UX data is a bit of a "true scotsman," i.e what matters is the exact sort of data Nokia has. Given that this data is based on "five button" interaction with a small screen, it's hard to see that as critical in a world of "large" touchscreen devices.

[machinagod]

I agree with you to a point, but would maintain that a significant amount of behavioural and cultural data coming from the "5 button" research, would also apply to touchscreen devices.

[reacweb]

I have enough computers around me to not need a smartphone. The single feature I need from smartphone is tethering. I am dreaming of cheap 5 button nokia phone (like my current phone) that would provide tethering so that I can use my cheap wifi android tablet anywhere. My 5 button nokia phone looks prehistoric, but it works perfectly and has fantastic autonomy.

[ramchip]

My cheap Japanese phone can tether -- but the carrier makes a distinction between packets originating from the phone and those from the computer, and they charge extra through the nose for PC packets (100$+ per month if you exceed a few megabytes, in extra to normal phone charges). All this while I can get a dual-mode WiMAX/3G WiFi router that fits in a pocket, has a day of battery life, unlimited data and transfers much faster for 50$/month. The problem isn't the hardware, it's the carriers.

[hollerith]

>The single feature I need from smartphone is tethering. I am dreaming of cheap 5 button nokia phone (like my current phone) that would provide tethering

OK, but the reason tethering is hard is that carriers want to charge extra for it, not because of any decision of Nokia (or any other phone manufacturer)