Nokia N97 ‘is behind firm’s strong sales figures’

Nokia’s N97 mobile phone was one of the "top performers" responsible for positive figures in Nokia’s financial results for the final quarter of 2009.

The telecommunications firm reported recently that it had released double the amount of touchscreen devices in the three-month period than it had done in the previous quarter – resulting in its market share rising from 35 per cent to 40 per cent.

And according to Mike, a blogger writing for the Nokia Conversations website, it was the N97 which led the way.

He goes on to ponder whether the rapid rate of expansion and increase in popularity of touchscreen smartphones means that any future handsets will require the technology just to stand a chance of being successful.

If this is true – and touchscreen has become so invaluable that it must be used on all new releases – then one of the reasons could be because of its ability to allow a phone "to play the role of chameleon", Mike says.

Mike suggests that touchscreen is behind a handset’s capability to switch its layout and design to suit the task it is being asked to perform.

Or, in the case of the Nokia N97, kinetic scrolling suits the web browser offered.

Debating what else could be behind the popularity of touchscreen, the blogger asks: "Could it be as much about design and aesthetics as functionality, because surely a clean slab of glass is more attractive than a key-filled fascia?"

Owners of the N97 were advised last year that their phone would be compatible with the official game for the movie Avatar.