Why Nokia's Q2 results are irrelevant

Nokia posted some financial results this morning.

They are not good. But I won’t bore you with anything beyond that.

There’s a lot of handwringing going on across the marketplace with people surprised that the figures don’t look good.

Well obviously.

The company is mid-way through changing strategies. This second quarter came more or less immediately after the now famous February ‘Windows Phone’ announcement. Indeed, for much of the second quarter, I imagine the majority of staff were wondering if they’d still have a part to play on-going.

When the company made their announcement in February, what they were effectively saying was, ‘expect NOTHING from us for ages’.

Yes. Pointing at their dire financial results is, well, pointless. The fact the company’s sales slipped in Q2? Foregone conclusion.

Guess what, they’ll be rubbish in Q3. And — NEWSLFASH — Q4 will be a shocker, too.

In fact, here we go — it’s time for an EXCLUSIVE NEWSLFASH LIVE PREDICTION: 2011 will be a rubbish year for Nokia.

Tah dah.

2012? I think the first half won’t look good financially either.

Nokia has a simple task ahead: Create brilliant Windows Phone handsets thereby delighting the consumer. Everything else — including Symbian, MeeGo and the like, it’s all a diversion at the moment. The company’s ability to survive the next 12 months depends on Windows Phone 7. Nothing else matters.

I know success with WP7 is a big ask. A very big ask. I think the company has got the wherewithal to deliver. Similarly, it’s highly possible that it’s game over already. We’ll just need to wait and see.