There was a time when people used to think of Nokia whenever the thought of mobile phones came into their mind. ‘Connecting People’ was all they could think about, irrespective of the person’s stature, their style and personality. In fact people used to associate Nokia with mobiles, something that used to make them the best in the business.
With the arrival of smarter phones, all that has changed! These competitors have been giving Nokia a run-for-their-money for the past few years, and the reasons are not at all different. Their phones are cheaper, more user friendly and follow the same traits that made Nokia the market leaders!
If you are a person addicted to You Tube, you can get many phones in the market–within your range – other than the ones provided by Nokia. Similarly, the Sony Eriksson mobiles have the best sound quality, making them a priority for those who want to use the phone as well as listen to their favourite songs at the same time. Samsung has been giving Nokia a hard time world-over, and their superior camera proves that in Pakistan, the people will go for them if they want the result of their pictures to be outstanding. There is also a catch of buying a mobile phone that also has radio, a phenomenon given life thanks to the countless FM stations in the country.
Saleem Subhi, associated with IT industry, shares why he went for an inexpensive mobile phone when he had the chance and how does he feel on his step. ‘When I got my first salary, I was tempted to get a phone that went with my personality. Sadly, my budget didn’t allow me to go for the phone I had in mind, so I opted for the one that was priced less. I have been using it for a couple of years and have had no issues whatsoever. The camera works well; the music files play whereas I am also able to use Internet, thanks to my network provider’s affordable GPRS package. I am glad that I didn’t have the money to buy expensive phone, otherwise I wouldn’t have found the phone I now use.’
There are some like Naeem Ullah who thank the Chinese connection for people’s shift away from Nokia. ‘People have enough to worry about in the current times where prices of everything from school fees to edibles are rising with the passage of time. In such scenario, who will not go for the mobile products that make you save money and look good in your hand as well? I didn’t mind buying a Chinese phone because only I knew it was a cheap version of the original, others fell for it and even congratulated me for buying an expensive phone for a change. The features may not resemble anything like the original, but who cares!’
Karachi is the hub of technology in Pakistan as things arrive here way before they are released anywhere else – at least officially. Some wait for the mobile phones to release and get tested by others before buying them while some go and become the testers for the sake of being the first to use the latest product. Banker Shakil Khan is one of them. ‘I dream of buying the latest mobile phone that has everything I might need in it. It must have the most powerful camera, provides maximum storage, supports Wi-Fi as well as Bluetooth whereas provides the perfect sound whenever I am in the mood to listen to songs. And if it has Dual-SIM function, I would be the first to get my hands on it!
People like Shakil Khan care about the phones because it defines them, their personality. Sadly, such people are less in number in Pakistan where Sab China Hai seems to be the motto of mobile buyers. Asif, the owner of Cell Point inClifton, feels that the arrival of ‘quality’ Chinese phones has made people shift from Nokia to China. ‘People are opting for smarter phones because not only do they cost less, they more or less have the same features as their expensive originals. The phones Q Mobile is introducing is making people leave the mobile shops as content buyers because they look good, work as good as the expensive phones and are priced appropriately to cater the middle-class.’
He may be right, but Nokia has a huge following, something the others don’t. ‘Q Mobile is going to become the next big thing because it has answer to every product provided by any other company. Be it Samsung or Nokia, Sony Erikson or Motorola, Q Mobile is priced way less than the competition, making them go for it.’ Asif concludes.
The guy may have a point. No phone in the market can compete with Q Mobile’s products priced between Rs. 2,000 and Rs. 9,000. While Samsung’s Galaxy might be giving Nokia’s phones a run-for-their-money, Q Mobile’s many products are taking the market by storm because of their amazing features. Their camera may not be at par with Nokia’s or Samsung’s but it is better than – say Voice’s and Megagate’s – making it a favourite amongst those who can’t afford the expensive phones. The touch-screen feature for lesser price gives them the edge over all competition
There are many who still believe that the mobile phones should be used for the reason they were invented – making and taking calls. Educationist Samina Farooqi Ahmed concurs. ‘I have been using mobile phones for the past 10 years but the extra features have never interested me because they make things difficult. Chasing technology is futile because new and better innovations will render your phone obsolete, if you go for the newer sets. It is just that using the mobile phone for the purpose of calling and/or receiving calls is something that can be done by any simple phone. In fact, most of my friends with hi-tech features don’t even use it, so what’s purpose?’
Mrs. Ahmed might be right. You don’t need coloured screens, memory card, simplified keypad to elevate your status in the social circle because phones with these features are a magnet for ‘mobile-snatchers. Most of the Pakistanis – especially Karachi-ites – have been deprived of their mobile phones and the trauma that follows is something none should endure. There is no way through which a snatched mobile phone can be retraced and retrieved and that what makes them an ‘available’ commodity.
Nasir Hussain, another banker, feels that smarter phones should only be bought if you are going abroad or are willing to use them in the comfort of your home. ‘In places like Dubai, you can use mobile phones in the open, and if you are going there, you can take any phone you desire without the fear of losing it. Sadly in Pakistan, the mobile phones with better camera, better sound and better features attract snatchers like bees get attracted to honey. You should buy them at your own risk, otherwise don’t leave home with them.’
Veteran journalist Farahnaz Zahidi Moazzam feels that medium range phones are the best. ‘I would settle for a phone that has GPRS and a decent camera because how a camera works is important for me. It would be an added advantage if the phone is user friendly as people still don’t have time to get acclimatized to super gadgets with many features.’
Enough of mobile phones, there is another category of phones that has become the next big thing – the Black Berry. Black Berry is not at all like any of the traditional mobile phones because it is more like a computer in your hand. Raza Faruqi, a student in a private university in Karachi, feels that since going the Black Berry-way, he has stopped giving time to his computer, which used to be his best friend before. ‘I no longer sit in front of my desktop to read documents, explore the net or even watch videos because now I have a Black Berry. I can read Adobe Acrobat Files, Microsoft Word documents as well as read emails and send messages to fellow BBM (Black Berry Messenger) users without having to pay anything extra.’
That’s one view but many Black Berry users including this scribe feel it needs to reduce its Black Berry services fee if they are to stay in business. The arrival of smarter phones like Nokia X series has somehow made people switch back to Nokia because some phones in this series can even hold dual SIMs, something most people need to avoid carrying two phone sets. They also provide you the option of reading emails, use social networking websites as well as send SMSchat ki tarah. If Nokia continues to re-invent itself, the other phones might have to work hard to keep up. Whatever happens, the mobile phone users are the ones profiting from the war of the mobiles – ‘Connecting People’, remains the common goal!
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