Is the N95 too popular?

[waytaminit]

Im noticing that there's a lot of sites reviewing and discussing this phone. There is a lot of TV and magazine AD's too. In some forums, and even in this one sometimes, a lot of people are comparing the N95 to almost every new phone that's coming out. Like the new k850 - which I think is in a different class, but they're still comparing it (specialy the camera), as if the phones were on level footing. Same with other phones - like the samsung G600 or G800, which are also not smartphones.

Im thinking of buying an N95 soon... but Im a little worried, with all this publicity and attention - would I be getting a "phone for the masses??" I just dont want a phone that almost everybody in the neighborhood has. Will the n95's popularity make it a "'common" phone?

The N70 used to be called an "elite" phone - which was good because at that time, not everyone had it. But now, it's very common, even the black Music Ed version is very common. Do you think the N95 will be as common as that? By next year?

I need your opinions, thanks.

[carcomptoy]

If you're in America, it's definitely not the phone for the masses. I've only seen ONE outside of a shop, and even then I'm not sure cause I was just passing the person and I didn't want to stare hahaha.

As for the comparisons, of course they're bound to happen. Just like with the N73 and K800 comparisons and the N90 and K750i comparisons that happened before them. Before I used to be against them, but really to the regular consumer, they don't know the Nokias are smartphones when they buy them, so in laymen's points of view, they're valid.

[oneclick]

I think that ANY phone, after a year's time, will be affordable. The N70 was on top back in 2005, but it's now 2007, so it's natural that many has it - since its price have gone down now.

The n95, for now, has no successor yet or direct competition. So people are comparing whatever they can to its features. But unless its price becomes that affordable to the masses - I think it will never be that common.

tnx-1clk

[problematic]

No, I dont think so. I think the iPhone is more popular than the N95. If there was one that's going to be bought by a lot of people - it's that.

In my opinion, popularity plays a role in a phone's success, but it's not everything.

[im92109210]

true but the iphone is not more popular than the n95 i think. It had more hype for sure but isnt popular. I think the sales of the n95 is higher than the iphone...

[Box215]

if 2 major phone makers come out with 5MP cameras in their phones, i think it entirely appropriate to compare them in terms of their cameras. So comparing shots from the N95 and the K850 make sense, imo. And the N95 is too expensive to become a phone for the masses, at least here in the US

[robbii]

I'm the only person in the U.S. i've ever seen w/an N95. I've only seen 1 person w/an iphone so i guess i either need to get out more or they are equally popular 8-P.

anyhow, i watched the guy w/the iphone try to take a picture, he was doing a finger job for a good 20 seconds before he took the pic, what the heck, just push the shutter button!

[stephanie]

I think when we are in the 3rd Qtr of 2008 will the N95 be bought by the masses. By then the price have gone down considerably.

[mewtwosama]

I went to the San Diego Comic Con, which had an estimated daily attendance of over 100,000 people. Keep in mind most attendees are geeks and nerds so you can assume they know their tech.

I saw 1 other N95, held by a man I would guess in his late 30's.
I saw over 100 iPhone users.

You can see my pics here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/drtran/sets/72157601109384569/

I should note the N95 battery never finished a whole day. By 3 pm I was looking for an outlet for a recharge.

[Jose_R.A.M]

Im noticing that there's a lot of sites reviewing and discussing this phone. There is a lot of TV and magazine AD's too. In some forums, and even in this one sometimes, a lot of people are comparing the N95 to almost every new phone that's coming out. Like the new k850 - which I think is in a different class, but they're still comparing it (specialy the camera), as if the phones were on level footing. Same with other phones - like the samsung G600 or G800, which are also not smartphones.

Im thinking of buying an N95 soon... but Im a little worried, with all this publicity and attention - would I be getting a "phone for the masses??" I just dont want a phone that almost everybody in the neighborhood has. Will the n95's popularity make it a "'common" phone?

The N70 used to be called an "elite" phone - which was good because at that time, not everyone had it. But now, it's very common, even the black Music Ed version is very common. Do you think the N95 will be as common as that? By next year?

I need your opinions, thanks.

When Nokia released the N95, it raised the bar of high-end phones. The N95 set such a high standard that other phones sporting similar high end features were compared with the 'top dog' to see how those particular models fared in their attempts at those particular features.

Potential consumers want to know which is better. They may not be looking for the all in one and may just be looking for, say, a good camera phone. Comparing 5MP from the N95 then against another handsets is quite appropriate.

At the moment, the still quite high price of the N95 still prevents it being too ubiquitous. As aforementioned, when prices come down on great phones like the N70, it will become more widespread. It'll be about another 6-9 months at least though before it bleeds and falls regularly into the hands of say, a nine year old or a bus driver.

But it'll still be a pretty cool phone by then and may still hold its own against other handsets (considering it isn't really getting any competition elsewhere...).

[carcomptoy]

I think globally, the N95 is more popular because that's what's available. The iPhone is more popular here because Apple has such a cult following. Nokias sadly aren't that big here.

[Jose_R.A.M]

I think globally, the N95 is more popular because that's what's available. The iPhone is more popular here because Apple has such a cult following. Nokias sadly aren't that big here.

Yes. The iPhone popularity and the N95 popularity are quite different.

One got popular to the point of disturbing legitimate news broadcasters into straying into its hype and the other slowly nurtured their popularity on the basis of its printed features and recorded performance.

Nokia really want the N95 to do well. They've marketed this handset way more than any of their previous handsets (although still not seeing it in mainstream tv ads like the 3650/7650 had).

It had that wierd touch screen game at a bus stop campaign, what's in your pocket competition, the GreatPockets and eBay thing, now the whole "Jealous computers" (mainly N95). Plus there's still the "it's what computers have become/it's what cameras have become/printed ads of that nature".

They should concentrate more on good TV ads though. Something short and memorable like the iPod/DS/Wii ones. Then we'll really see the N95 everywhere.:p

If someone wanted a good Nokia phone but was going to remain quite rare, perhaps the N93/N93i would be the way to go.

[waytaminit]

Thanks for the replies. So the n95 is not that common after all. (At least not yet).