Nokia has delayed the rollout of its next top-of-the-range model to next year, another blow to the mobile phone maker.
The E7 is the second Nokia phone to be released with the Symbian^3 mobile operating system, following the N8, which was also hit by delays.
Nokia said it would postpone shipping the E7 model from this month to early next year.
“To ensure the best possible user experience on the E7 we have decided to begin shipping in early 2011,” a spokesman for Nokia said.
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Nokia and Symbian have both had trouble keeping up with rivals Apple and Google Android.
“This rounds out a miserable year for Nokia with regards to getting the new generation of Symbian phones out the door,” said Ben Wood, research director at British consultancy CCS Insight.
Hannu Rauhala, analyst at Pohjola Bank in Helsinki, said expectations for the E7 have likely not been very high and the news further dampens expectations. “Uncertainty over the future of high-end models is growing,” said Rauhala.
A weak offering of smartphones and software problems were seen as the main reasons for Nokia replacing chief executive Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo with Stephen Elop from Microsoft in September.
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