We have been reporting about a possible smart wearable from Nokia since December 2013. In between new job openings revealed HERE Everyday adventures division planning to launch a stealth product in US during 2014 holidays and it hinted strongly about a Nokia wrist wearable (SmartWatch) being planned under HERE umbrella.
But with latest strategic shift, Nokia has made HERE to focus majorly on enterprise, cars and analytics or consumers through only B2C strategy. This even led to departure of HERE’s CEO. If you go though the latest Nokia Q4 earning details, you will notice this,
As previously disclosed, in the third quarter 2014, Nokia announced the sharpening of the HERE strategy and an adjustment to the related long-range plan. As part of its decision to curtail investments in certain higher risk longerterm growth opportunities, HERE initiated a cost reduction program during the fourth quarter 2014. HERE’s progress on reducing costs has resulted in greater visibility to the level of efficiencies that we believe are achievable, and contributed to HERE’s new 2015 non-IFRS operating margin outlook, which we raised to 7% to 12% from the previous range of 5% to 10%.
Now, one of our tipster has sent a Linkedin profile that reveals more about this stealth smart watch that was supposed to launch during holidays last year under HERE umbrella. We won’t link to the profile but will furnish harmless details,
- It was an Android based, networked (WiFi and cellular) consumer product.
- It was supposed to come under HERE Everyday Adventure group
- Supposed to be manufactured in China
- The product was going through the pre certification and certification process at a major North American network operator
Read more,
Product is in stealth mode, and is an Android based, networked (WiFi and cellular) consumer product.
Write significant portions of legal product agreement with manufacturing supplier in China, including quality requirements, security requirements, and change management. Write Statement of Work documents for product accessory and other suppliers. Write product safety plan for the product and other development standards and guidelines including accessibility and security.
Audit manufacturing operations for prototype, final builds and mass production builds in China. Provide direct interface between hardware engineering in Finland and manufacturing suppliers in China to introduce product to production, and assess and mitigate risks and contingency plans. Review production strategy, including identification, specification, design and qualification of fixtures and jigs, test equipment and diagnostic software. Assure adherence to schedule and quality standards across the whole product line. Define production quality and build yield standards, and assure adherence to standards.
Marshal the consumer product through the pre certification and certification process at a major North American network operator, including research and documenting product compliance to networking standards, negotiating waivers for product defects resulting from testing activities, interface between lab testers and base layer software development, and provide technical support to both lab and field testing activities.
Worth noting is the fact that though it is no more a focus area of HERE, the details on the LinkedIn profile don’t hint about full cancellation of the project. So, hope is the keyword and may be it is still planned to come, now under Nokia brand-licensing business model just like Nokia N1. With many existing and upcoming (Apple) ugly smart watches available in market, we certainly want some beautiful Nokia designed hardware out there.
Thanks Zky for the tip. Cheers!!
