What ‘Connecting People’ really means

At Nokia, “Connecting People” is more than a tagline. It’s a mission statement that has guided almost everything we’ve done for over 20 years.

Much has changed in that time. The number of people with access to a mobile device has grown from 0.4 per-cent of the population to the present day, when over a billion people connect every day with a Nokia.

What’s more, the definition of what it means to be “connected” has changed. The impact of the Internet has been just as profound as that of the mobile phone on our daily lives, but even today, only 35 per-cent of the world’s population has access –  far less than has access to a mobile device. So, with devices like the Nokia 109, Nokia 110 and Nokia 112, we’re bringing the mobile Internet to the next billion and beyond. 

We’re connecting the next billion in a way that works for them. That means designing experiences that work with their needs. For example: the need to keep data costs very low for these consumers resulted in the Nokia Xpress Browser.

And then there’s social media. To us, the social experience on a mobile device means much more than just deeply embedding access to one particular social network. It means giving people the ability to connect widely with others in many different ways.

That’s one of the key reasons we chose Windows Phone as our primary smartphone platform. The deeply integrated features cover not just Facebook, but Twitter and LinkedIn as well. It’s also why we focus on different social networks for different regions likeRenRen and Sina Weibo in China.

The need for access to a variety of networks from a mobile device is also why we’ve been working hard to bring other social networking apps to Windows Phone; Tumblr, for example, will be releasing their app soon.

Then there’s what we share via social media. We want to help people capture and share the world around them. That means imagery, so we take our world-class photography features seriously. Not only does Nokia Lumia running on Windows Phone make sharing your photos with the world (across multiple networks) quick and easy, but our camera technology helps what you capture look amazing, even in low light or with a shaky hand. We also provide apps like Smart Shoot and Cinemagraph to make sure you’re doing the most you can with those moments!

But with great power, comes great responsibility

Social media and mobile are literally redefining ‘connecting people’, but there are also challenges. People now have more data on their phones than ever before, including intimate personal details from social networks. Applications can also potentially capture lots of information about people and use it in ways in which you may neither be aware nor comfortable.  We don’t want that to happen. We’re committed to our customers’ privacy and to preserving the integrity of their data. We know our customers value this. What we choose to share; where we choose to share it –  and what we choose to keep private – are a huge part of what makes us human.  The mobile ecosystems we create must respect that.

So what does the future hold?

As the authors of “Connecting People,” we’re pleased that more than 20 years into our mission, and with the rise of social networks and the mobile web, those two simple words remain our driving force.

In years to come, we can expect even more change driven by advances like augmented reality and contextual mapping as seen, for example, in City Lens and our HERE suite of experiences. There will be new and exciting ways to connect, but we must continue to balance awesome technology with our need for privacy and humanity. At Nokia, that doesn’t just mean making technology easier and faster to use, but also making it available for the specific needs of the many and not just the few.

What does “Connecting People” mean to you?

Tuula is Nokia’s Chief Marketing Officer.