In our interview this week with Nokia executive Mark Slater – the company’s vice president overseeing its AT&T efforts – we asked how Nokia is able to differentiate its Lumia handsets from other Windows Phones, given the hardware limitations that Microsoft has imposed on the platform so far. In addition to aesthetics and distinctive materials, Mark cited the range of apps exclusively available on Nokia’s Lumia devices as a further means to stand out from the Windows Phone pack.
So far, we’ve seen an interesting collection of apps and services on Nokia’s handsets, including Nokia Drive (with its voice-guided satnav features), Music (with free Mix Radio streaming) and Transport (with public transport journey planning for around 500 cities worldwide), among others.
Keen to expand its range of exclusive software further, the company has announced the upcoming launch of its new Nokia TV app. The new streaming service will be free, with no sign-up required, and will allow Lumia owners to select from a range of television programmes to watch on their handsets. Nokia calls the new app “a free signature hub experience for catch-up TV services”.
The service will launch initially in Finland, and while Nokia has so far resisted commenting on plans to bring the app to other markets, it did say that “Finland is the ideal country in which to introduce this service”, which at least implies that it won’t be the last or only country to eventually get it.
Image via Nokia Conversations