The new Nokia N97 smartphone has finally arrived in the UK, with the intended anti-iPhone on sale in select Nokia stores since last Friday.  The brand-name exclusivity will last for one week, after which point the phone will be available from anywhere that wants to sell them.  Well, anywhere phone related.  Fishmongers are unlikely to participate.

The most visible differences between this and The iCompetition is the fold-out QWERTY keyboard, aimed at those frustrated with touch-screen input (which the N97 of course also offers, for the non-frustrated).  The real test of the N97, however, isn’t even in the handset but will be seen as the online Ovi store grows with an increasing user base.  Anyone after the smartphone market has to acknowledge and deal with the huge Apple Store factor, but as the largest handset maker in the world, Nokia do have the resources to attempt it.