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Nokia cuts 1,800 jobs to speed up smartphone deployment and improve Ovi Store experience

Accelerated transformation

Nokia cuts 1,800 jobs to speed up smartphone deployment and improve Ovi Store experience
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With a total headcount of 128,237, cutting 1,800 jobs or 1.4 percent, hardly counts as a drastic reorganisation.

Still, with pressure to improve its performance when it comes to highend smartphones and its Ovi application store, Nokia is attempting to ensure its internal structures are suited to compete with more dynamic US companies such as Apple and Google.

In this regard, it's looking to simplify the product creation process within the Symbian Smartphones organisation, speeding up time to market.

Notoriously, its current signature N8 device was delayed several times, finally being released in October, more than three months late.

As part of these changes, Nokia says it will be expanding the use of tools for application development, streamlining software development, and consolidating operations.

Thinking the thinkable

Additionally, change will comes to its Services organisation, which will focus on delivering an integrated Ovi store experience to consumers across Nokia's full range of devices. Previously, Nokia described it as a 'distinct end-to-end service line', which dealt with operations on a per device basis.

Nokia is also streamlining some corporate functions and research activities.

"The announcement today is the result of careful evaluation and planning, and has now been reviewed and endorsed by the new management," said Juha Äkräs, executive vice president of human resources.

"The aim is to accelerate the company's transformation towards a leading mobile solutions provider, and to do this we are simplifying and integrating operations within our product creation and corporate functions."

[source: Nokia]

Jon Jordan
Jon Jordan
A Pocket Gamer co-founder, Jon can turn his hand to anything except hand turning. He is editor-at-large at PG.biz which means he can arrive anywhere in the world, acting like a slightly confused uncle looking for the way out. He likes letters, cameras, imaginary numbers and legumes.