Nokia's 5800 XpressMusic to mature markets: see you in 2009

The Foundations said it best in their 1968 classic, but seriously, why let us down like this? Nokia didn't mind busting out a litany of press shots and all the specifications one could need to get amped up about the 5800 XpressMusic, but it obviously has something holding it back from launching in "mature markets" before 2009. In an announcement that's just as disappointing to the suits in Espoo as it is to those in North America and Down Under (just to name a couple), we've now learned that the touchscreen-dominated handset will only be available in seven countries in Asia, the Middle East and Europe before 2009 dawns. Even worse? Not knowing how deep into next year we'll have to wait for this thing here in the US of A. Catch our feelings spelled out in video form after the break.

[Aguiluz @ Oct 6th 2008 3:23PM]

"Mature Markets?"

What's that?

[Ray @ Oct 6th 2008 3:25PM]

If you have to ask, you'll never know.

[fanman @ Oct 6th 2008 3:25PM]

Isn't Europe the maturest market of all?

But yeah, this sucks for you guys. Their loss, Walkmans' gain.

[Aguiluz @ Oct 6th 2008 3:43PM]

Never mind, found it.

[PeteC @ Oct 6th 2008 4:50PM]

Ha ha, the US don't get to play with this wonderful handset until 2009, Europe gets it first, you only got the the boring iPhone way before all of us. We're more mature, naa na naaa na naaaa naaaaa! :-P

Oh wait, I forgot how pants this thing was again, even though I'm a big nokia fan normally. Bummer.

[jakem @ Oct 6th 2008 5:45PM]

Australia is anything but a "mature market".

[Dean @ Oct 7th 2008 8:02PM]

Actually, Australia has a more mature nationwide 3.5G network than the US. Surprise surprise.

[michael.labate @ Oct 6th 2008 3:23PM]

As much as this sucks, this just give me more time with Android.

So I guess its okay.

[iEye @ Oct 6th 2008 3:24PM]

Great, when they release it they can start playing catch-up to the 3rd iPhone...

Apple was not joking when they said that they were years ahead of the competition....

[Hashbrown Hunter @ Oct 6th 2008 4:37PM]

Can I clear up one thing about the iPhone? It wasn't lightyears ahead of the competition, it took a gamble. Apple had enough guts to put out an all touchsreen phone using their own proprietary operating system they built from the ground up. If the iPhone hadn't sold as ridiculously well as it did, it could have potentially ruined Apple. It is amazing that Apple was successful, but that does not mean they were ahead.

Do you really think Nokia, Samsung, LG, and the others were sitting on their asses the entire time? No, that's why they have R&D departments. They just didn't find it feasible to release a touchscreen phone and Apple capitalized on that hesitation.

And does someone ALWAYS have to mention the iPhone in a phone thread?! It's annoying, and doesn't help engadget's "Apple-Fanboy" image.

[GON @ Oct 6th 2008 4:40PM]

Who's they? Either way, both you and Apple, are wrong.

[iEye @ Oct 6th 2008 4:53PM]

They, Apple, S.J. ...and I quote a quote;

"Today we're going to show you a software breakthrough. Software that's 5-years ahead of what's on any other phone."

"iPhone runs OS X!"

9:49am, Jan 9th 2007

The birth of the iPhone, the phone to end all other phones...

http://www.engadget.com/2007/01/09/live-from-macworld-2007-steve-jobs-keynote/

[Mark Anderson @ Oct 6th 2008 5:20PM]

Ah. Steve said it so it must be true.

OK.

[GON @ Oct 6th 2008 5:21PM]

I heard bullshit is an acquired taste..

[Tony @ Oct 6th 2008 3:25PM]

You americans already have cheap iPhone (We Europeans paid 650 euros for 16GB one). Be happy ...

[derX @ Oct 6th 2008 11:25PM]

Oh don't even start that because there are plenty of amazing phones Europeans get for free with contract that aren't even offered via carriers in the States, like the n95.

American carriers suck compared to Europeans ones, in most respects. The only people that can complain are Canadians who truly get screwed.

My condolences my techno-amigos.

[XIYL @ Oct 7th 2008 4:15AM]

Damn, 650 euros is like thousands of USDs.

\partial sarcasm

[wako @ Oct 6th 2008 3:29PM]

VERY fitting song... bravo...



2009 is a long time from now especially since 2009 could mean 12 months from now or some crap like that to screw us over. I guess ill just buy a different phone. Oh well, Nokias loss :)

[Rik @ Oct 6th 2008 3:31PM]

Come on Nokia... you know how much your stock earbuds suck... I know you want to sell better earbuds as an extra but please join a pair of WH-700 in ear earbuds if you're gonna call it XpressMusic. (Ok, so it's not the best in-ear I know (CX300) but they're pretty decent, nice looking and very much less of a cable clutter with the integrated headset, plus affordable.)

[chefgon_ign @ Oct 6th 2008 4:25PM]

I am absolutely baffled any ANY hardware maker (phone, pmp, gaming handheld) bothers to include headphones at all. Is there a single soul on this entire planet who is interested in laying down cash for a portable media player, but doesn't own a set of headphones? I've got a whole bunch of devices that came with headphones, and the one thing all those earbuds have in common is that none of them have ever been removed from the original packaging.

[Lloytron @ Oct 6th 2008 5:15PM]

@chefgon_ign
How many of those sets of headphones you have lying around include a microphone?

[happy_penguin @ Oct 6th 2008 3:41PM]

Who the hell are The Foundations?

[BFish @ Oct 6th 2008 3:46PM]

Europe (except Spain) is Q1/2009 ja US then Q2/Summer according to Nokia reps in finnish papers last Fri.

[weareborg @ Oct 6th 2008 4:56PM]

Where did you hear about spain?

[BFish @ Oct 6th 2008 5:10PM]

Spain is Q4/2008 according to Nokia Press Releases, only place in Europe
to get it this year (few via courier on 31st of Dec propably;)

[josemi @ Oct 7th 2008 6:59AM]

Yes, we (Spain) will get the 5800, in theory the 1st of December. Maybe Nokia has chosen us because it is a very good market for Nokia, Nokia is loved here.

In practice, I am sure that they only have a few ones to sell.

[Chris @ Oct 6th 2008 3:49PM]

I believe it because of all of the bad reactions to the leaked video's. Come on this isn't an iPhone killer by far. I myself was waiting for this device since word got out but those videos killed my dream for sure.

Putting my hopes on the Blackberry Thunder (Storm/9530) but from that one 'hands on' video that's up on YouTube that doesn't look that great either. Maybe it wise to skip the second generation of touchscreen and wait for the third hoping manufacturers have learned.

All phones seem to be slow as hell. When they do have a decent camera in them the OS is lacking (Samsung, that's you). And come on a stylus?? Are we going back to 1996 with this sh*t?

Blackberry Thunder (hands on, probably by a tester)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzJXhDKgfiQ

[Mark Anderson @ Oct 6th 2008 3:55PM]

Not really surprising given the US is a minor market for Nokia.

We get it in early February apparently.

[BFish @ Oct 6th 2008 3:59PM]

...then according to Financial Times Vodafone/O2/Orange and T-Mobile won't agree selling any Comes with Music -phones like the 5800 Tube.

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/e6b43526-90cb-11dd-8abb-0000779fd18c.html

[Bjarke @ Oct 6th 2008 4:03PM]

Because you guys get the iPhone a year earlier.

[Nando @ Oct 6th 2008 4:09PM]

Maaaan! And I was looking forward to getting rid of my phonePod!

Yes, while this may not be an iPhone killer, I have always LOVED Nokia hardware and still to this day love my now "ancient" 6680 that runs S60. Maybe a little slow, yes, but I'd much rather have great hardware and slightly slow OS that is more stable than anything that has been out in the market for years....than to continue with an iPhone that has now released four updates in 3 months and STILL trying to fix issues that have been existent since day 1.

[Amits @ Oct 6th 2008 4:11PM]

Why are you crying?.
Here in israel, the cheapest iphone cost 700$.
And n95? same thing!, I hope the 5800 will be here soon and his price will be 400$.
Sorry for my bad English.

[Cybergypsy @ Oct 6th 2008 4:20PM]

Most Israelis have a couple phones each, iPhones are that high?

[Amits @ Oct 6th 2008 5:41PM]

iPhone cost a lot, because apple does'nt sell iphones in israel, so we have to buy iphones in USA , and the price over there is 700$+- (Open Sim).
But here we got others great phones (like N95 8G), but the price is still high for some people's :)

[Cybergypsy @ Oct 6th 2008 4:18PM]

Why? we already have the iPod!

[noyp @ Oct 6th 2008 8:03PM]

Because some people like an all in one convergence device. Wait, by your logic, why should there be an iPhone in the first place?

[kjb434 @ Oct 6th 2008 4:22PM]

It makes sense. They can test, get bugs out, and improve their music store before releasing in large developed markets.

Think about it. How many emails and calls do think Apple's iTunes store gets whenever there is a problem or bug in the software? Nokia can work out the implementation before releasing it in full.

My guess is that the European release will be the first full test of there system.

I wouldn't be surprised if the US release does well. A lot of people out there use Nokia phones and will like the music feature on something that is simple to use. It's targeting the Motorola ROCKR and LG Chocolate type phones.

[Nando @ Oct 6th 2008 4:36PM]

Exaaaactly!

That's where Nokia rules and Apple well...need it be said?

Apple released the phonePod in a hurry just to beat all the others and will now be trying to play catch up on fixing all the bugs, issues, features that everyone has had for ages and will have them when they release their version of a touch screen device.

I really wish that the screen were a capacitive rather than pressure though....sigh...oh well, I'm sure I'll still like it.

And with Symbian, no need to wait for mail services, Slingbox, Flash, stereo BT, tethering out of the box, great browser and oh yeah...reliable (not to mention FASTER) data through HSPA!!!

I really hope that Apple does fall to one of the lawsuits about their hardware...I'm still siding with the whole 3G issues being related to bad hardware and hope that Apple quits trying to fix the issues with a bunch of patches...

[Thi mam(kris120890) @ Oct 6th 2008 4:24PM]

It's available in the UK in October 16th. The reason its not available until 2009 is because that's when they launch 'comes with music' campaign fully. The UK already has 'comes with music' and we were the first at the tube launch. However the 'comes with music' version of the tube won't be available until early next year. I don't know if the tube launched October for the UK will be compatible with ' comes with music'. Although it would be dangerous if Nokia neglected early buyers.

FYI many times I've heard you Americans pronounce Nokia know-KIA when it's pronounced Knock-IA. And another thing they're finnish not japanese.

[chefgon_ign @ Oct 6th 2008 4:31PM]

I'm in the US and I've always said know-kia, but then again I've never met anybody who actually owns a Nokia device. They are practically nonexistant over here.

[disciple83 @ Oct 6th 2008 4:36PM]

actually, according to the wiki entry here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nokia

it's pronounced /'nɔkiɑ/ where "nɔ" makes the syllable "no", so...You trolls speaking the King's English or whatever you call your dialect need to put a lid on it, ya hear?

[kjb434 @ Oct 6th 2008 4:41PM]

Good to know about the pronunciation, but it's strange that all carriers in the US and Canada pronounce it the "know-KIA" way in all their advertising.

I wonder if this was done on purpose because of advertising to a predominately english speaking audience that would likely pronounce it in the "know-KIA" way. The corporate headquarters for Nokia much as planned it that way.

[Thi mam(kris120890) @ Oct 6th 2008 5:00PM]

All commentator in those adverts were probably American. Ask any person in Europe and they will pronounce it the correct way. Coming from the people that can't even pronounce spell aluminum. Go to Finland the will pronounce it a different way but in English they pronounce it Brit ways. All nokia adverts used Finnish speaker all pronouncing it the same way.

[Thi mam(kris120890) @ Oct 6th 2008 5:07PM]

Listen to how the finish say it just press the play button.

http://forvo.com/word/nokia/

[chefgon_ign @ Oct 6th 2008 5:58PM]

Just because you crazy brits add extra sylabols that don't exist when pronouncing Aluminum doesn't mean that we have to.

[Thi mam(kris120890) @ Oct 6th 2008 7:33PM]

But why did you Americans seem want to change the name of most things out there. OH and BTW it was a British person that called aluminum in the first place before some science people decided to call it aluminium in the first place. Americans changed it to aluminum some years after.

[El Cartel @ Oct 6th 2008 4:54PM]

engadget complains so much. You guys didn't have a problem waiting for the crappy iphone. Stop
looking for any flaw to pick apart a device which is better than the fruit phone.

[iVTEC @ Oct 6th 2008 6:18PM]

There's only one phone better than this and the iPhone, the iPhone 3G.

[noyp @ Oct 6th 2008 8:05PM]

The touch hd is probably better than the iphone *crosses fingers so I don't eat my words*

[Malkmus @ Oct 6th 2008 9:00PM]

Where were you!? Do you not remember the almost weekly complaints in anticipation of an announcement for the 3g iphone Engadget did?! And not only that, but you're taking this as if it's a knock on Nokia's products. The article is stating how disappointed they are the 5800 isn't coming sooner! Wow, your post really makes no sense.