Nokia Announce the 9300 Communicator

Nokia introduces the smartest smartphone for business professionals on the move

The Nokia 9300 blends sophisticated modern styling, powerful functionality and an integrated full keyboard for unparalleled ease of use in a compact design

NEW YORK - September 8, 2004 -- Nokia (NYSE: NOK), the world leader in mobile communications, today announced the Nokia 9300, a new high-end smartphone with both beauty and brains. With outstanding voice and data capabilities, the Nokia 9300 provides the best all-in-one device for users, regardless of workstyle or lifestyle.

On the outside, the Nokia 9300 is a slim and elegant mobile phone. When opened, the device reveals a full keyboard and 65,536 color screen that can be viewed from almost any angle, at a desk or on the move. The voice functionality of the Nokia 9300 is superior when compared to most data-centric devices that combine PDA-like features with a mobile phone. Additionally, the compact design of the Nokia 9300 makes it effortless to use with either hand.

"The Nokia 9300 will appeal to a wide range of professionals who want powerful functionality from a data-enabled device without compromising the look, comfort, simplicity and usability of a standard mobile phone," said Niklas Savander, senior vice president of Nokia's business device unit. "We believe the Nokia 9300 strikes that balance in one stylish smartphone, without sacrificing the combined functionality that many people require but until now could only get from carrying multiple products."

"For as long as individual users account for the volume of device sales, the styling of a device will be as important to its success in the enterprise, as its range of data capabilities," said Kevin Burden, program manager for IDC. "A device that can be accepted as a person's primary mobile phone as easily as it performs as an application processing platform can have great success in the growing enterprise mobility market."

The Nokia 9300 features one-touch access to personal information and office applications through eight dedicated function buttons on the device's integrated keyboard. A five-way joystick allows users to easily navigate menus to find the features and functions they need to quickly accomplish tasks and find information.

"The Nokia 9300 incorporates what we know about superior usability, elegant design and powerful functionality," continued Savander. "We believe it's the smartest smartphone on the market today. It's an important addition to Nokia's high-end product portfolio."

This tri-mode world phone supports GSM/GPRS/EDGE networks. Five party conference calling via an integrated speakerphone and multiple e-mail clients (with attachments), including BlackBerry Connect* support, enable seamless and encrypted mobile connectivity in and out of the office. The Nokia 9300 also integrates infrared and Bluetooth capabilities, giving users two different ways to wirelessly synchronize their devices to a desktop PC or laptop, as well as exchange data with other mobile devices.

The Nokia 9300 has 80 MB (expandable up to 2 GB with an optional MMC card) of free user memory - more than sufficient for storing emails, documents, presentations, text and multimedia messages, ring tones, data files, calendar notes and "to-do" lists - or downloading applications, for work or play, that are available for the Nokia 9300 from over 1.25 million registered developers.

Additional features include:
# Bluetooth audio support for handsfree conversations
# Bluetooth data support and USB connectivity for easy data transfer or synchronization
# A variety of email clients with a support for IMAP4, POP3, SMTP, SyncML and BlackBerry Connect*
# Security features including SSL/TLS, IPsec VPN for secure mobile access to corporate information, equipped with personal firewall and anti virus software**
# High speed internet browsing via HTML/XHTML browsing, HTML 4.01 and JavaScript 1.3 supported
# An in-built office applications supporting documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and a PDF viewer, to take your office on the road
# MP3 and multimedia player for entertainment in and out of the office

Planned availability for the Nokia 9300 is in the 1st quarter 2005. Nokia will offer two tri-band versions of the Nokia 9300 - one optimized for mobile networks in Europe and Asia (GSM900/1800/1900 MHz) and one optimized for mobile networks in the Americas (GSM850/1800/1900 MHz), yet both versions are able to roam in GSM networks across regions. For further information on features and availability, please visit www.nokia.com. For information on pricing, please contact your local Nokia representative.

*Nokia 9300 supports BlackBerry Connect. Not included in basic sales package. Operator dependent feature.
** Not included in the sales package

It looks like a nice sensible device to me. It might even tempt me back to Nokia.

Its just a shame it wont be out untill next year when it should have been out last.

Agreed - is it a case of "Better late than never" or "You've missed the boat?" Time will tell. I hope it's the former.

I have no idea what to think of this new device. The fact that it has lower specs is ok, but it should be released at least at the same time. I mean, I think no-one is going to wait for the 9300 if they can already get a 9500 (for a minimal price difference, with better battery, camera and very importantly, WLAN). This might attrack some people though, but I think it's not gonna be me...

Edit: Looking at the official nokia pictures, I know what it's aimed at: women! (note that there are only women using a 9300 on the pictures)
http://www.nokia.com/nokia/0,8764,33325,00.html?appId=9300

You can see all the first wave geeks getting the 9500 (Yes Rafe, that's us!) but thinking of the longer term sales, I'd see the 9500 going to corporates as "bulk buyts" and rarely appearing in retail shops, the 9300 will do all of that. Note that the individual machines have went 90xx, 91xx, 92xx, 93xx and the 95xx is a big jump. Hence my thinking of the split markets.

And come on, the geeks will spend the extra money no matter what - a three month wait or another 100 Euros? Nokia know their market!

You guys are really knowledgeable. You announced it earlier than Nokia themselves according to your news dates.

Klop, I suspect because our server is in the USA and the clock is a bit behind contributes to that. But we do try to get as much knowledge out to you as possible. We'll have even more tonight and tomorrow!

Ewan wrote:You can see all the first wave geeks getting the 9500 (Yes Rafe, that's us!) but thinking of the longer term sales, I'd see the 9500 going to corporates as "bulk buyts" and rarely appearing in retail shops, the 9300 will do all of that. Note that the individual machines have went 90xx, 91xx, 92xx, 93xx and the 95xx is a big jump. Hence my thinking of the split markets.

And come on, the geeks will spend the extra money no matter what - a three month wait or another 100 Euros? Nokia know their market!

I disagree there. I think you have to be a rather big gadget geek even to buy a 600-700 euro phone that's gonna be a lot bigger than a "normal" phone. I'm afraid there is just not gonna be such a big market. Only corporate and geeks, and they will probably both choose the 9500... Just my opinion though...

I would say if you buy a expensive thing, buy a good one, and buy it once so it lasts you long. I think the 9300 is too small, generally phones of this type shouldn't be too small. Although the compact size is good in carry but accessing the phone from the keyboard is very difficult however.

beeing (I suppose) average person working for multinational copany I want:
reasonable size phone
with all calendar, task, contakts stuff
internet
regular keybord to work with word, excel, pp
thing to play with (as I am 34 I want to play spectrum, c64 games and new games like doom)

so I do not need 9500, 9300 IS FOR ME

But if you work for a big company, don't you need Wifi??

For a phone-PDA, not that much, really, in my opinion.

When at the office, a notebook-PC with WiFi is more useful/practical, except for making phone calls.