Stephen Elop responds to user criticism, Asserts that large operators prefer Windows phone

In a series of rather fortunate events, Stephen Elop is suddenly responding to user emails (try sending him one at stephen.elop@nokia.com - don't spam) following the famous Apple CEO, Steve Jobs, footsteps of addressing user concerns via email.
After the news of N9 limited region release went live on the internet, Meego fans all over the world died a little inside. Especially the guys at maemo talk. They were baffled by the news. More after the break.

Concerned Meego fanboys shot an email to Stephen Elop. Conversation below ( as posted on Maemo talk thread ):

Dear Mr Elop,
I am writing to express my concern at the decision not to sell the forthcoming Nokia N9 mobile telephone, in the UK. I have been a loyal Nokia customer for the past decade. With regards to your strategic decision to pursue the Windows Phone operating system, I am indeed sceptical. As a London based television editor I have a keen insight into consumer trends in technology. In the mobile brand game, Microsoft loses hands down to Apple. I cannot imagine myself ever owning an MS Widows Phone / Nokia – despite the fact that I embrace Windows PCs over Apple desktops. I willingly admit that they are less expensive and easier to maintain. It is unfathomable that Nokia has overlooked the Android mobile OS. However with the N9 and the Meego (previously Maemo) OS there is a unique opportunity to have a distinct user experience, which all the while is capable of compatibility with Android applications (Alien Dalvik). Above all, the most compelling reason to support the N9, is its user interface which by all accounts, in every side by side review places it head and shoulders above Apple IOS, Google Android, and MS WP7. Please allow educated consumers the opportunity to purchase the product they want. If for one moment you could set aside internal politics and your urgent desire to have a unified R&D strategy, it would be amazing to be able to purchase a phone which not only looks great but operationally trashes the competition. Please sell me a Nokia N9. 
Deeply saddened and concerned, 

Stephen Elop's response:

Thanks for the note.
We do expect to have N9 available through some online resellers. That being said, it is also our intention to have Windows Phone based products which themselves are a great user experience and that beat the competition. Indeed, consumer research including in the UK encourages us that this will be achieved. 
I hope we can meet your needs one way or the other.
Regards,
Stephen 

Tl;dr : Get a Windows Phone 7 if you can't find N9 on ebay or craiglist.  


Assuming that N9 isn't being produced in significant volume and coupled with limited region availability, it would be difficult to get N9 online via a non shady website.

Another email conversation from Maemo talk thread

Dear Mr Elop,
Please understand that I am not writing to you to rant about the WP7 direction, I accept the fact that Nokia did not believe Meego would bring them the level of success deemed necessary, rather I am worried that Nokia’s WP7 marketing strategy will prevent me from acquiring a Nokia N9 on a typical carrier subsidised contract within the UK.
I have no doubt that I will be able to buy an N9 from etailers such as Play.com, etc, but the N900 which I have happily used since its UK launch was £450 sim-free when it arrived, whereas my T-mobile contract with an unlocked handset was £110 upfront followed by eighteen payments of £20, or £470 in total. I am very keen to own and use a Nokia N9 but question why, in the UK, I would willingly pay the RRP for a phone when I can get it along with eighteen months of calls, texts and internet for £20 more.
I understand that you would urge me to have a closer look at Nokia’s new, and no doubt innovative, WP7 handsets that will be arriving in the near future, but I remain uninterested in them just as I remain uninterested in iPhones or Android phones. I merely seek reassurance that Nokia’s UK product support for the N9 will not preclude UK carriers from offering this handset on contract?
If you can offer this reassurance then I will be a very happy person, and can promise to remain a happy Nokia customer for years to come.
Kind regards
JBT 

Mr. Elop replied back in a few hours:

Hello there,
I can’t comment on what specific operators may or may not do in each country – many of those decisions are happening right now for the latter part of the year. In all cases, the operators will make decisions about which products will be made available, with which rate plans, etc. Each operator in each country only has so many “slots”, and they divide those up between ourselves and our competitors, and within Nokia they can mix between N9, Windows Phone, Symbian, etc. Right now, many of the larger operators are showing a strong preference towards WP…
Regards,
Stephen

According to Mr. Elop - many larger operators are showing strong preference towards Windows Phone. I have never owned a carrier locked device in my life. Unlike India, it's a different situation in US, UK and several other countries. So Operators play a cruical role in Nokia's goal of revival, especially in US. Can they nail it this time? They have no other choice. 

By Rahul Mathur