Nokia Projects Lower Q1 Revenues

Nokia has shocked the industry by projecting that its Q1 revenues this year would be below expectations: two percent lower than the same quarter last year. Previous outlook had been for a three to seven percent increase. The news saw the company's go down by 17 percent, and significantly raised speculations about the company's future, reports In-Stat/MDR. The agency cites more buoyant projections of rivals such as Samsung, LG, and Kyocera and blames Nokia's downslide on its portfolio that lacked mid-tier, clamshell phones that were popular in both the U.S. and Europe.

Nokia has said it will launch 40 new models this year. But that alone might not be enough of a stride to sustain its 35 percent market share. Its rivals would also have launched new models in that time. In-Stat/MDR suggests that the company could look at lowering its prices (go for lower margins than its current industry-leading level of 24 percent) as a way of increasing the sales.