Thought: Microsoft is going to lose this Fall (unless Nokia does something about it)

Outside of this wonderful Windows Phone bubble we live in, there's been a lot of talk about the prophesied iPhone 5 lately. Rumors have been flying left and right for the past two weeks with some saying the device will release in September while others are denying that and claiming October is the real timeframe. Then there's the discussion of Apple changing their strategy a bit to compete with Android's colossal rise. Most gossiping points towards Apple having three iPhones set to invade the mobile world -- a cheap version that wouldn't cost more than $299 off contract, an iPhone 4 injected with newer tech for the mid-range, and the iPhone 5 to compete at the high-end.

Not only will Apple suck the wind out of everyone by September/October, others are rushing to get their products out before then: RIM is making a comeback attempt with competitive BlackBerry OS 7 devices in late August, HP is pinning their hopes on the Pre 3 to make up for lost time with WebOS, and Google will likely launch their eagerly-anticipated Ice Cream Sandwich update for their phones and their tablets. With Mango (or 7.5) powered phones likely releasing in September, it's getting slotted in at a very competitive time in the smartphone world.

One thing is assured: Microsoft is screwed on its own.

Whatever the case, one thing is assured: Microsoft is screwed on its own. But there's one little thing that may just save them from the all-out war about to break out this holiday: Nokia. With rumors that the first Finnish Windows Phone could miss the first wave of Mango devices and instead debut later in Q4 2011, Nokia could have a prime opportunity to make a strong entry back onto the scene without any real competition surrounding it. For that to happen though, Nokia would have to do more than just a 'vanilla' Windows Phone handset.

While the manufacturer has proven time and again that it can excel in hardware design and build quality, they are competing in a very different market. As Stephen Elop said himself, "...there has been a shift from a battle of devices to a war of ecosystems." Unfortunately for them, Nokia must rely on Microsoft's current ecosystem which besides the overhauled Bing experience (one of our favorite things in Mango) hasn't seen much change since its launch.

Nokia needs to create a new defining characteristic in order to find a new audience.

Let's take a look at what other manufacturers are putting into their Windows Phones: Samsung has Super AMOLED and thin design, HTC has their WinMo/Android reputation and Sense (for better or worse), LG has their solid construction, and Dell has their left-field design. All of those things are what Nokia is good at and while some may argue a combination of all of these is enough, I would disagree. For Nokia to really be successful with their new devices, they needs to incorporate a signature Nokia experience. In other words, the company needs to create a new defining characteristic in order to find a new audience. Hardware alone isn't going to cut it this time.

So what will? That's the golden question and it's difficult for one person alone to answer. However Nokia plans to take on the field's stiffest competition, a warmed over N9 may not be enough.