Nokia customers have been expressing their disappointment after the mobile phone maker delayed the sale of its flagship new smartphone for a second time. They were originally set to get their hands on the N8 model in June - but that date was put back due to software renewal taking longer than expected. Nokia then aimed to get the device, the first model based on a new generation of its new Symbian software, to customers by the end of September. But the firm has now told them that they should expect to receive the handset in October. The latest delay comes as a new man takes over at the helm, Stephen Elop. He succeeds outgoing chief executive Olli-Pekka Kallsvuo as the firm tries to beef up its response to competition from the Apple iPhone and devices based on Google's Android software. Nokia said: "To ensure a great user experience, we have decided to hold the shipments for a few weeks to do some final amends." It added: "As we have previously said, we still expect to start the shipments by the end of the third quarter. As with every global launch, when the device reaches the hand of the customer will vary by market and operator. "We have received a record number of online pre-orders for the Nokia N8. We had targeted our online pre-order customers to receive their N8s by the end of September. "As it can take time from the beginning of shipment to arriving at their doorstep, in full transparency, we have advised our pre-order customers that they should expect their new Nokia N8 in October." Nokia is reportedly anxious to remove any glitches in its new phone to avoid the poor reviews that followed the launch of its previous flagship device the N97, last year. But the group now faces a race to get the N8 to market in time for the crucial pre-Christmas selling season. Nokia customers have been expressing their anger on the official Nokia blog. One called Shaft wrote: "Well, typical Nokia I'm afraid. We've been seeing delays for many products also in the past. "Been waiting for N8, but now I can as well buy Galaxy S. Hopefully new executives will understand that things have to change in Nokia." Irshad said: "We are waiting for N8 for about 6 months and every day you make late its shipping time to market so what do you want to do man? "But just remember that you will lose a lot of your customers and also your trust which is in the mind of your customers." Salem 874 wrote: "C'mon Nokia, be honest with customers!! Where do we stand? Confusion and things like this only worsens you (already damaged) reputation). "I'm sure customers will be satisfied with being told exactly what's going on and what to expect from their pre-orders (this coming from a long-time Nokia customer)!!" But James Holland from electricpig.co.uk did not think the latest delay would be damaging for Nokia. He thought most customers would not mind a few more weeks in the delivery time rather than having possible problems if they got it earlier. The device, which comes with a 12-megapixel camera and high-definition video streaming, will compete against a range of devices from rivals like Motorola, Sony Ericsson and HTC that use Google's Android software. Mr Holland told Sky News Online that after Apple's problems with its iPhone 4, Nokia wanted to make sure that it got its new Symbian 3 operating system right. He said: "It's a big deal for Nokia. They don't want to get the Symbian phones wrong and that's why it will take time." Comparing the N8 with the iPhone, he said they were "difference markets". He told Sky: "The iphone is very flashy. The N8 is a fantastic camera phone and all-round smartphone. It's a lot more for business rather than games. "The Symbian is a strong follow-up for Nokia. It has the makings of putting it back on a par with the Android." Source: Sky News