Nokia Mobile Talk is happy to host yet another great interview from a key player in the Nokia community for our readers. Today we bring you Ms.Vivian Kobeh, Communications Director for Nokia Latin America and Brazil. Thank you for fitting us into your busy schedule I can only imagine how hectic your schedule can be, we are truly lucky to have you in our forum. Folks without further ado I bring you Ms. Vivian Kobeh.
Tell us a little bit about your background and what lead you to join the Nokia Corporation?
I’ve been in the technology field for 15 years now, performing diverse marketing and communications roles, even developing the first corporate blog in Spanish. Most of my experience has been with Dell and a couple of years ago I joined Nokia. I believe that Nokia is a very natural step for me given the way technology is going, driven by consumer’s demands. Nokia devices are small mobile computers where voice calls are perhaps the least important feature these days when compared to all other capabilities that consumers value in one single device, like instant messaging, maps and GPS, increasing music and games capacity, and having a good quality camera handy for photos and videos to share with friends on the go.
Nokia users are everywhere in the world but what are your thoughts on the emerging markets in Latin America and which platform, s40 or s60, is the preferred platform to have a continued growth in these sectors?
I believe that both platforms are important these days, because customers are different. Some require very basic functions and some others are eager to advanced technology and features. To give you an example, in April Nokia reached the one billion S40 device shipped milestone. There’s a good mass that enjoys the simplest phones and can still have nice features like music, a basic camera or a first e-mail account. In parallel, we see a number of sophisticated users in countries like Venezuela, Argentina, Chile, Mexico or Brazil that can’t wait for Nokia’s next Nseries device to come to market, like the Nokia N97 or our touch music device, the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic.
One billion S40 device shipped milestone
Which country or countries seem promising for these Latin American markets?
Well, as you know Nokia is a well recognized brand in the region, the expectation for quality devices is always high, we continue to be number one overall. That said, the largest markets like Mexico and Brazil are critical for us to drive new business and pilot some strategies like the recently launched Comes with Music, however we see mobile subscriptions growing rapidly in countries like Colombia, Ecuador, Central America and Caribbean, plus increasing excitement for new technologies in markets already largely penetrated like Argentina, Venezuela and Chile. Not sure you know this, but Nokia has an in-depth segmentation of consumers based on their attitudes and preferences (13 types), and our job is to try to meet the needs of all these groups which can by found in different concentrations in all countries. So, all customers are important to us, no matter where they live.
Can you share for our readers what developing or future integrations are on the horizon for OVI?
Nokia continues to invest heavily in the development of the Ovi platform, our Internet service offer. We are very excited with new services available and are working hard to have this new door open to as many people as possible. There are some future announcements on our pipeline, so stay tuned.
Google just released Google contacts, how is Nokia planning to take OVI to the next level?
Nokia continues to invest heavily in the development of the Ovi platform, our Internet service offer. We have already several services available that meet our consumer needs. One of the most interesting ones is Nokia Messaging, which allows end users to have their contacts up-to-date and the permanent capacity of communicate with their colleagues and friends via messenger service, using the mobile device as his/her portable computer.
What are your favorite Symbian applications? Can you list your top five?
Sure, I’m a very pragmatic person, so to me, the Symbian applications that I enjoy are:
• -Nokia Wellness Diary- this one is fully customizable to your own exercise routine and goals. It helps me monitor and track weight, blood pressure, exercise, eating habits, sleep, working time, and even stress levels!
• -Nokia Wireless Presenter- I participate in work meetings regularly, so this application allows me to use my Nokia E71 as a remote control for the PC, it uses Bluetooth wireless technology.
• -Nokia Maps for the device- always nice to download the map of the city you visit, really helpful in last minute business trips.
• -Bar code reader- one more that really facilitates my job. It’s simply a way to read the bar code of business cards from your device, via Bluetooth. The E71 reads it and then converts it into a new contact.
• -Nokia Gol- this one is really my family’s favorite, because it allows you to follow soccer games in real time around the world. Is also interesting because it was an idea developed in Argentina that is now been adopted by many countries.
What’s your favorite Twitter client for your smartphone and desktop?
Evidently I follow @nokconv every day, as well as many other from bloggers that I talk to in the region like @scoutbuck. On the personal level, I’m making a confession on your blog today, I’m a big follower of Will Smith’s @TherealWill.
From a Marketer’s point of view, what advice can you give new developers of new technologies in regard to Symbian being Open-Source now.
Developers could not ask for a better platform to develop new applications these days. It’s open, with an enthusiastic developer’s community of more than 4 million people, willing to share best practices and work in a collaborative environment. If we only think of the installed base of Symbian – millions and millions of people, in over 130 countries, the opportunity is huge. What a better way to reach out to more users!
Can you comment on the rumor of a possible E71i with a 5 mega px camera and FP2?
I can’t.
Which Nokia phone do you currently use and why?
I use the Nokia E71 because I’m an e-mail maniac and the QWERTY keyboard is what I love from this device. It also switches to your personal settings when you’re outside of work and allows me to handle different e-mail accounts, while still doing photos, videos, etc. I also use the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic as a hobby, where I download my favorite tracks from the disco time –yes, I’m in my 40’s- and really enjoy the quality of the sound/speakers when I’m in the car or in the plane.
What are your two favorite Nokia smartphones of all time and which Nokia phone are you looking forward to use?
That’s a hard question, I like very much my Nokia E71 and also enjoy the Nokia N95 8gb, but with technology moving so fast, I’m really looking forward to experience all features of the upcoming Nokia N97, that’s a fantastic device.
And to conclude, what is your favorite color, movie, music band, sport, and cuisine style?
My color is yellow, movie is Cinema Paradiso, I don’t really have a favorite band, but like the 80’s and early 90’s pop music. In terms of sports, I like swimming very much and what I do on regular basis is jazz dance. I’m very much into Lebanese food, at least that’s what I miss when I travel.
Thanks so much for participating, it truly was my pleasure and I hope we can do a follow up sometime in the future, “simplemente gracias en todo el significado de la palabra”.
Credits: OscarB one of our Team Member made the initial contact with Ms. Kobeh
Related News from NMT
- Final Call to all Innovators: Views 2785
- Nokia Comes with Music is a no go in US: Views 1653
- Interview with Symbian Themer Xavier: Views 6333
- In Defense of the Ovi Store launch: Views 2194
- Interview with Theme Legend P@sco: Views 4005
- OVI Store Statistics Symbian Developers rejoice: Views 2247
- Mobile World Congress is almost here: Views 698
