Apple Vs Samsung: Will it be advantage Nokia

BANGALORE, INDIA: The California court 's verdict against Samsung in the patent violation case and Apple seeing ban on a number of Samsung products comes at time when Samsung is eying 60 per cent market share in India market. What could a ban on Samsung phones and tablets by a US court could actually mean to Indian customers?

According to a research done by market research firm, IDC, China, U.S., India, Brazil and the United Kingdom are the Top 5 markets for smartphone shipments. Though the smartphone penetration in India currently among the lowest in Asia/Pacific, the market in India seems to have great potential for future, says IDC

Though Samsung officials have been maintaining that the California court ruling may have little or no impact here in India, there are already enough indications or trouble in the market.

In an interview to CIOL, Samsung India head for IT and mobile business Ranjit Yadav explicitly said and confirmed that there would be no cost cutting. "There will be no impact whatsoever on Indian business."

The firm has as many as 17 smart phone models in the market and enjoys more than 41 per cent market share.
In a previous interview, the Samsung country head had said that last year (2011) smartphones market in India was about 8 million units. This year it is expected to be about 20 million units. We are aiming to catch 60 per cent of that at the end of this year."

Shares in mobile phone firm Nokia plunged  10 per cent on Monday (Aug 27) on hopes it can benefit from a setback to rival Samsung, which has lost a high-profile court case to Apple that could lead to an injunction against some of its products.

Apple Inc is seeking speedy bans on the sale of eight Samsung Electronics phones, moving swiftly to translate its resounding court victory over its rival into a tangible business benefit.

The world's most valuable company wasted no time in identifying its targets last week identifying more that seven smartphones hones, including the Galaxy S3 and Droid Charge. While Apple's lawsuit encompassed 28 devices, many of those accused products are no longer widely available in the world's largest mobile market.

Nokia is expected to launch two new Lumia phones on September 5, on the same day that phone Motorolaalso unveils a new product.

It kicks off a busy fortnight for mobile devices, with Amazon.com Inc expected to introduce new Kindle tablets on September 6. Apple is seen unveiling the newest iPhone on September 12.

Microsoft Corp and Nokia Oyj are loading up for their best -- and possibly last -- shot at denting a smartphone market dominated by Apple Inc's iPhone and Google Inc's Android mobile
software.

If the new Lumia phones do not appeal to consumers when they are unveiled next Wednesday, it could mean the end for Nokia, and a serious blow to Microsoft's attempts to regain its
footing in the mobile market, according to analysts and investors.

"This is very high stakes," said Canaccord Genuity analyst Michael Walkley. "Nokia bet everything on Windows, and if this doesn't succeed the next step might be having to do what's best for shareholders, and that might include selling off key assets or selling the whole company."

S0ny and Samsung, among others, got a jump on things last week with announcements of new tablets and phones at a consumer electronics conference in Berlin.

(With inputs from Reuters)