Nokia is planning to release the Ovi store (ovi fittingly means ‘door’ in Finnish) at the same time as it showcases it’s giant leap forward, the Nokia N97. This conincidental and planned dual release of both hardware and software/media services will surely create a much larger and longer lasting media buzz than just the N97 alone ever could.

The Ovi store is arguably the surf board with which Nokia will ride forward with speed to attempt catch-up with the as-yet unchallenged ubiquitous iPhone. Whilst it’s true that touch screen mobiles are now , Nokia’s latest addition will undoubtedly be enhanced by Ovi.

Perhaps the biggest step forward for Nokia isn’t so much the wide range of 3rd party application that will be available, but much more the huge range of movies that will be viewable (presumably on a pay-per-view service structure), alongside a Minority Report style ultra-targeted aGPS-based advertising model.

Let’s not forget the N97’s ultimate configurability, too, however: customizable widgets, the integration of social media & business applications, multimedia capabilities – truly, this promises to live up to the Nokia claim It Becomes What You Are.

Roll on June/July