I would have to agree IF this "iphone pro" were similar in size to the N97. Otherwise if this device, considering it would be Apple's first gen slider, is a "brick" (in terms of size), then I wouldn't agree. Yes, I understand the points for making an argument with Apple's software usability and interface, but size (at least for me) will determine this.

But let's say, physically, they are relatively the same. Then I would have to give this to Apple. But if Nokia can "one up" Apple, with some sort of distinct advantage integrated, then they could have shot. What distinct advantage? I have no clue. Maybe leveraging the N82 5MP w/Xenon Flash and incorporating that with the N97? I'm not sure if that will be enough, but again have they would have to something. We'll see for sure.

As with Apple, I'm not expecting or know what to expect from them. Although, I know they will try to "make a kill" with first impressions.

totally. if a new iphone with quality AF cam, video recording, multitasking for 3rd-party apps, and copy/paste comes out, the N97 will not be the only model with a serious problem.. the whole nokia smartphone department will break down another 30% easily.. (like it did already in 2008).

All i can say if youre that fickle about things, then good luck to you. More for the rest of us.

I don't think that the next iphones hardware would bring death to any new N series phone - it's all about the interface really. As you already pointed out there are several flaws in the Symbian OS GUI, most of them where solved by Apple and Google (Android).
Nokia really needs to solve these issues to be competitive in the future.
However, there are at least two aspects that makes any Symbian S60 phone still my favorite choice:
1. No binding to any carrier. Honestly, I don't want any company to force me to use a carrier of their choice. It's me who's finally a customer of exactly this carrier/provider. Personally, I don't like T-Mobile. End of story.
2. Openess. The Software Download Application might suck, but you don't have to use it. Which means that you can download and install software from a source of your choice. And there's no one who can dictate you not to use a certain piece of software.
Conclusion: My phone, my choice.

@Christian, as a long time nokia user, I know the sources to download apps. The problem is with new owners.

@Mark Guim,

where do you find software for free? first time nokia owner love my e71, but just can't find apps for it.

I did get an iPhone 3G 11th July. I'd sold it after 3 weeks. The reasons were no video, terrible 3G/reception, monotasking. The rest (copy and paste, 2MP camera) are something I could have lived with.

So, no, 5MP and qwerty wouldn't make the deal for me. But upgraded 3G radio and multitasking most likely would.

And I should say that, if an N97 killer iPhone comes out before June, than it's all Nokia's fault and I wouldn't shed a tear for my fav company. You simply cannot survive making so many mistakes (e.g. App Store could have been beaten easily.)

I think that the 'Pro' won't hit the market, until the end of 2009.

What could happen is that Apple will announce the 'Nano'. And if Apple respects costumer demanding, they will upgrade the cam to 3.2/5 mp with a good lens and flash.

This is very good possible. And will also be a though one to beat.

Although my first reason to not even buy this Nano with a good camara, will be the same as above: I need open source and being free of choise to buy or install whatever I want.

An Android phone(with cam and nice form factor) in this case will be more attractive for me.

Soon we will know.

all i can say is i will only buy the iPhone Pro if it can be jailbroken and unlocked. I'd rather get the games for free than have to pay for them.

I used to be a Palm (RIP) fan and its amazing how Nokia is recalling me the worst days in Palm.
Hope they (Nokia) wake up before it's too late.

no. the iphone interface is nice and all, but there's more to a phone than just that. app store? yeah, sure, great. i'm able to locate, obtain, install, when i wish to purchase software remotely through my nokia. sure sure sure, nokia doesn't run the stores i shop at - who cares? is it as 'slick' as the apple app store? not even close. do i care? not even a little.

the app store is fundamentally broken. from apple's horrible backend enforcement of non-fully-disclosed rules right through to the broken frontend that fails to provide a stable and knowable release visibility timeframe.

so - a qwerty iphone with 5MP camera? that's only as good as a nokia to me if it also comes with a better 3g radio, video, copy/paste, MULTITASKING, oh and don't forget open development opportunity. i want JBTASKMAN to be a valid app for me, and ROTATEME, and FLIPSILENT. apple? best we can say is maybe apple would let one or more similar apps through and maybe not. and maybe after letting them through they'll secretly remove them later. that's a closed ugly version of a walled garden, and it's clearly not for me.

i'm no nokia fanboy, my n95 is my first nokia device ever. i'm no apple hater, i've just acquired my 3rd mac and haven't used any microsoft product regularly since 1998. i'm a computer engineer. i want the best and most fully functional devices. i want nokia devices.

-jared

@jared, I also go for the most fully functional.

That is why I've been a Nokia Nseries owner since the Nokia N80. I won't go anywhere else unless a better device comes from a different company.

Big deal...even if it Apple introduces something like that it would be something that is priced atleast 3 times than the N97. Forget the App Store, look at the amount of freeware that exists for the Symbian platform. Forget the Nokia Download Catalog...there s such excellent freeware available you don't feel the need for an APP STORE....

I think the N97 is dead in the water in many ways regardless of a new iPhone. It's big, clumsy and the UI is not perfected by any means. Additionally Apple's AppStore WORKS - Nokia's 'Download' barely works, crashes and is a complete mess.

I love both Nokia and Apple products. My phone is an E71 which is fantastic for email. I use it over the iPhone as I'm not a touchscreen fan but also love the Car Menu software for my CK300 Bluetooth car kit and in use the realworld functionality is BETTER than the iPhone.

However, it won't take Apple much to improve the iPhone dramatically - a better camera and simple tweaks to the UI would help loads (Flickr integration, better detailed functions such as copy and paste and video) and if a keyboard was included that might persuade me.

well if apple announced the iphone pro i can guarantee that nokia will have a new device to trump it...as were speaking about the N97 ill have to say this....Nokia will implement something else.....
@ Mark....Have you read Elders review? At the end of it Eldar has hinted that there are a few surprizes to be anounced with the arrival of the N97.....

Indeed Robert, 2009 ius supposed to be the year for Nokia, with several surprises in store for us all.

I read recently about an iPhone Nano, not sure if this is a leaked rumor or not.

The day Apple cam out with a phone with the specs you mentioned Mark, pigs would fly and money would grow on trees! lol.

Apple is a niche player and unless it comes out with a 'smartphone' version of the OS the the above specs are useless and an eyewash.

This year is going to be the war of the OSes.

With regard to the 'Downloads' catalog, I had suggested before on Symbian-guru.com that it would make a lot of sense to bring it under the fold of Ovi.

If the hardware was the same I would choose the N97, no questions. Personally I like a bit more freedom than Apple is willing to offer; Apple is for the average user more interested in style, not for the serious technophile (unless you happen to be American and the attraction of a homegrown phone is just too much)

While I admire Apples' design and marketing savvy, I think the N-series phones are still streets ahead in aspects that Nokia have been perfecting for years. I'd like to point your attention to Steve Litchfields' excellent Smartphone Comparison Grid at http://3lib.ukonline.co.uk/grid.htm
My year-old N82 still beats the Iphone 3G pants down. Even the Asian devices are whipping it. Apple has given the cellphone world a wake-up call and shown that styling, hype and form can work miracles, I believe that function will always win out in the long run. Furthermore I suspect that Apple's seflish way of wanting to monopolize the whole user experience (and their wallets) will eventually burn them. Consumers are wising up.

You guys talk a lot about style or design when you talk about iPhone...
Did anyone of you really used an iPhone for more than five minutes? I dont think so.

Use it. Try the phone you are talking about (the web browser, the maps app, the whole interface) and then come back and tell us.

Of course iPhone is not the best phone in the market (mail is a pain in the ass, unusefull bluetooth... Apple after all), and yes I also still prefer Nokia, but you cant say it is only a pretty phone.
Lets face it, Nokia has lots os things to learn from an iPhone.

@marco, I use the iPhone too and I can't think of any other mobile device that does web browsing better.

I use the Ipone.

And browsing during daytime is very convenient. But for me phone browsing is on to go..at home I have a laptop with a 22inch screen.

Honestly, the rest for me is rather boring. Nice user experience, like the funny (or some handy) apps..but that's it.

I like to install, learn, compare and experience..and for that the nokia and symbian is really great.

Without dismissing other OS's or phones.

From what I've read RIM is stepping up their game as well. A bold with a touchscreen is comming out this year and rumors of a high end camera bb are floating around. Nokia has to step their game up

Just a few thoughts:

1) there is no space on the iPhone for a decent camera lens. Just check the Nseries lenses an imagine how they would fit on the iPhone. The type of design would mean the phone would have to get thicker and then also add the qwerty board like in the example pic: the phone would become very thick. Wouldn't be a problem, if the phone wasn't this extreme wide already! The N97 is less wide and taller for that

It means the iPhone would need an extreme design change. Especially in shape.

Now I talked only about the main camera. But we Nokia users are used to the second camera for videocalls too. This will become bigger and bigger in the coming years. (I have had videocalling on my phones since 2004)

And extra camera in the front would also require some design change: there isnt any room in the phone there for it now.

Only to get all the camera features the of a N97, Apple would need extreme design change that would make it hard to have this awesome slick look they have now.

And then I havent even started on what it would mean for battery, processor, etc. I didn't even mention the room needed for the flash!

To me it seems that the iPhone was designed at the peak of what it can do: hardware but also software! A dutch programmer told on a phone devellopers camp that the iPhone's operating system is running at it the peak of what it can do. Yet Symbian can do more and more and more than is done with it already.

Another thing to consider is that Nokia is by far the biggest seller of smartphones (and of other type of mobile phones too). The funds that they have are so huge:. They rely on "many phones for many different users with many different preferences" instead of "one phone for all".

All these things mean that Nokia has everything to keep ruling the phone business for years. Apple can make any phone they want to, but Nokia still has dozens of other phones for other users available.

Now would it hurt the N97 sales? Maybe, maybe not. But no phone would be strong enough to whipe out all the other competitors, especially not Nokia.

Xander

It would be very interesting to see how they would solve