For Nokia, it appears history bites.
It's no exaggeration to suggest that many view the firm's N8 handset due to launch this September as its first real attempt to take on iPhone, yet developers are questioning whether it's really worth backing the platform.
The reason? They just don't know how long it'll be around for.
That's the view of Jan Ole Suhr, creator of Nokia phone Twitter client Gravity.
According to Suhr, nobody within the development community is sure just what kind of shelf life N8 has, simply because it represents entirely new ground for the manufacturer.
History hurts
"It's difficult for small developers to invest in the smartphone segment of Nokia when nobody knows its future," Suhr told Bloomberg.
"The new shiny things arent available and theres only the old-fashioned stuff, where it takes a lot of work to make the software look good."
While recent reports have suggested there are downloads aplenty to notch up on the Ovi Store, working with Nokia hasn't always been the easiest of set-ups for the average developer.
The company's to-and-fro attitude with the N-Gage platform relaunched, updated, and then later dropped meant studios were without a stable first-party environment to sell their wares to consumers.
Nokia also has a comparatively low market share in the US, meaning it's hard for developers working on the States to visualise the success both Nokia and the Ovi Store enjoy overseas.
Despite its high-spec set-up, it appears N8 will need to win over the development community if it is to make Nokia a genuine contender in the US smartphone market for the first time.
mocoNews
News
With a fine eye for detail, Keith Andrew is fuelled by strong coffee, Kylie Minogue and the shapely curve of a san serif font.
Top Stories
News
May 31st, 2024
Week in Views - Squad Busters goes global, broken app stores, and Hill Climb Racing gets the LEGO treatment
News
May 31st, 2024
Mobile Movers: All the latest appointments and job moves from around the industry
Events
Indie Game Fest & Indie Campus 2024 | Europe | May 31st |
Game Access Conference 2024 | Europe | May 31st |
Indie Craft K-Game Festival 2024 | Europe | May 31st |
Gaymer Pride | North America | Jun 1st |
BostonFig Online 2024 | Jun 1st | |
GameSummit Summer 2024 | Jun 1st | |
Gotland Game Conference 2024 | Nordic | Jun 3rd |
Games Mental Health Summit 2024 | Europe | Jun 3rd |