Nokia Corporation (ADR) (NYSE:NOK)’s smartphones are still the top choice for Finnish employers who want to supply their employees with mobile phones according to Yle. However the site does indicate that the company’s lead in its home country is shrinking as companies allow their employees to choose phones made by other companies. We are still waiting specifically for clearer numbers on sales of the Nokia Lumia handsets after the company released its pre-earnings report last week.
Yle conducted a straw poll and found that the majority of the top five phones used for business in Finland are Nokia Corporation (NYSE:NOK)’s handsets. TeleSonera reported that the company held a commanding lead in the Finnish smartphone market with a 98 percent share of the market just five years ago.
Yle did not list specifics on how much of the Finnish market share Nokia Corporation (ADR) (NYSE:NOK) has lost since then. It did suggest, however, that part of the company’s loss can be attributed to its late arrival to the touch screen market. At this point the only other smartphone to come close to Nokia’s phones in Finland’s market is Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)’s iPhone.
Some businesses in Finland do continue to require that their employers use Nokia phones for their work. Kesko, a leading food retailer in the country, said limiting its employees to Nokia Corporation (NYSE:NOK) enables them to test the company’s new products earlier and get new devices more easily. A spokesperson for Kesko also explained why Kesko and likely many other companies stick with Nokia phones, telling Yle, “There is additional value in promoting Finnish work.”
