We all know the C7 has been around for quite some time. If anyone is interested in a mid-range Nokia Symbian™ powered smartphone then I’m sure they have already considered and reviewed the specs of the C7.
So what are Nokia doing to justify a Premium price for what is in effect a mediocre excuse for a smartphone. Well the answer is simple. The Nokia ORO is aimed at footballers, their wives, Russian gangsters (allegedly) and wealthy Middle Eastern oil barrens. I hasten to say that these aren’t Nokias actual words about the Nokia ORO but they have said that the Russian market is one of their strongest for this type of device.
Nokia ORO - Construction:
The Nokia ORO is all about looks, style and materials. The name itself comes from the Italian word for gold. The case on the front is clad in 18 carat gold plate which has been applied with a special new method, drop by drop, to ensure the Nokia ORO durability. It is also repeatedly polished for an unprecedented finish. The opulence does not end there mind you; the rear of the Nokia ORO is clad in some of the world’s finest leather, quality of which would not be out of place inside an Aston or a Rolls Royce. If that wasn’t enough to brag about the home button has been replaced by a Sapphire crystal which Nokia claims to offer a “combination of elegance and endurance”. The Nokia ORO comes in a choice of 2 colours, black or white, with dark or tan leather respectively and both have an exclusive Gold "Theme" applied to the U.I. to add to the luxury feel of the product.
Nokia ORO - Symbian™ Anna O.S.:
What I am going to mention is that the Nokia ORO roles out of the box with the brand new Symbian™ Anna OS with the new version 7.2 browser which boast much higher rendering speed than the previous version still adorning its "Trailer park" C7 cousin. This I here you say is the reason, along with the bling, for the huge price tag over its cheaper version. Well no, because this operating system will be an over air update for all Symbian™ Smartphones so the Nokia ORO loses some exclusivity points there. To be honest the Anna O.S. despite all the improvement isn’t that great.
Nokia ORO - HTML5 Compatibility:
Although it is compatible with some elements of HTML5 the elements are so few it almost renders it pointless. It only scores a very lowly 111 out of 400 in the HTML5 test compared to that of 182 of Android™. Even more surprisingly impressive iOS 4.3 score of 206. And the positively stellar score of 233 from the Blackberry O.S. which actually beats some desktop browsers. Also the latest announcements from Nokia themselves on the future teaming up with Microsoft for production of Nokia windows phones seems to be an admittance from Nokia on the slow and painful demise of Symbian™.
Conclusion:
Going on about O.S. and HTML5 is, although interesting to geeks and those who actually buy something because it is truly useful, completely irrelevant here. This is not a phone for these people. As for this kind of money you could buy any handset on the planet with the specifications required to organise your whole life. The Nokia ORO is a phone for the wealthy fashion conscious of the London catwalks or the up and coming Saab Company buying Russian Billionaire, or is it?
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