Nokia is a name almost everyone recognizes. As a Finnish technology giant, Nokia built its reputation on innovation, bold design, and products that often felt ahead of their era. For years, Nokia smartphones dominated global markets, including Indonesia, long before the word “smartphone” became a daily habit.
Nokia N900 Enters the Indonesian Market
In March 2010, one of Nokia’s most ambitious devices officially received certification to enter the Indonesian market. That device was the Nokia N900, originally released in 2009. Unlike conventional mobile phones, the N900 was designed as a hybrid: part smartphone, part digital camera, part navigation device, part mini computer, and part internet tablet — all packed into one dynamic device.
A Smartphone That Redefined Multitasking
The Nokia N900 stood out because it was fundamentally different from its competitors. It became the first smartphone in the world capable of true multitasking, allowing users to run multiple applications simultaneously without aggressive background shutdowns.
Linux Maemo: An Open Platform
Even more revolutionary was Nokia’s decision to embed Linux Maemo 5 into the N900. This made it the first smartphone to offer a fully open Linux-based operating system, giving developers unprecedented freedom. Application creators were no longer limited by closed ecosystems; instead, they could build, modify, and experiment freely.
Nokia’s Strategy in Southeast Asia
During the Nokia Showcase 2010 event in Bangkok, Thailand, Chris Carr, Vice President of Sales for Southeast Asia Pacific, explained Nokia’s regional strategy. The SEAP region — covering ASEAN countries, Australia, New Zealand, and Bangladesh — was selected as a key market following Europe and other major regions.
“Starting in March, the Nokia N900 will be available in these markets,” Carr stated. He emphasized that Maemo’s open platform was designed to invite collaboration with developers worldwide, including local developers in each country. Nokia, he said, was committed to embracing developer communities as a core part of its ecosystem.
Applications, Hardware, and Specifications
By the time of its launch, hundreds of applications had already been developed for the Nokia N900, with more added continuously through Nokia’s OVI Store and the Maemo developer community.
Key Technical Specifications
The device featured a 3.5-inch touchscreen combined with a physical QWERTY keyboard. Its computing performance was powered by an ARM Cortex-A8 processor running at 600 MHz, supported by Linux Maemo 5 and 32 GB of internal storage.
Its multitasking capability allowed users to keep numerous applications open at once — a major selling point at the time. Additional features included a 5-megapixel camera, GPS, HSPA connectivity, and Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g.
The First Firefox-Powered Smartphone
Another historic milestone: the Nokia N900 became the first smartphone in the world to ship with Firefox for Mobile, developed by Mozilla. This positioned the device closer to a pocket-sized computer than a traditional phone.
Pricing and Market Position
At launch, Nokia’s Corporate Communication Manager Regina Hutama Poli had not yet confirmed the official price for Indonesia. However, as a reference, the Nokia N900 was sold in the U.S. market for approximately IDR 6 million when it became available in November 2009.
Final Thoughts
Looking back, the Nokia N900 was not just a smartphone — it was a bold experiment. It arrived at a time when the market wasn’t fully ready for open systems, true multitasking, and desktop-like browsing on mobile devices. In many ways, the N900 was ahead of its time, laying conceptual groundwork for features that modern smartphones now take for granted.
