In MASSIVE surprise, world+dog discovers Nokia checked out Android Reports have emerged over the weekend that Nokia had run up research lab versions of its Lumia phones running Android, and that this was somehow linked to Microsoft's decision to finesse the Finns. Kicking off the clickfest was the New York Times with this post that offered the following analysis: A team within Nokia had …
"It's also not hard to find evidence that makers, hackers and experimenters began working on “Android on Lumia” projects long before Nokia and Microsoft began their takeover talks. This one, for example, spawned this demo video recorded in February 2012 (below)."
Well, it must too hard for the author. That's an N9 in video - not a Lumia.
Something many punters fail to notice is that Nokia is one of the top three mobile network equipment manufacturers, along with Ericsson (Huawei being the third), who incidentally off-loaded the last remains of its handset business to Sony, just the other year.
That was really a good thing for everyone involved, since Ericsson never understood consumer electronics (which is why they kept making phones for grey-suited middle-managers at Volvo while Nokia took the world by storm with snap-on covers). Of course, Ericsson never made any serious profit from its handsets, even before they were crushed by Nokia. It was always, first and foremost, a networks company.
Now that Nokia's handset business has failed, for reasons explained and speculated upon all over the tech press, it is doing the the exact same thing. Except, unlike Sony, Microsoft has about as good an understanding of consumer electronics as Ericsson ever had, which might not bode so well for the former Nokia employees that transfer, but will make for entertaining reading in the tech press over the months and years to come.
Nokia, on the other hand, will continue to be an important and profitable mobile network equipment manufacturer.
Ballmers Microsoft bought Nokia because they were going to dump their software it seems.
As for Nokia they will be fine, and those scoffing at them don't know much about the hardware they produce. Nokia Solutions Networks was created by the companies Nokia and Siemens and operates in more than 150 countries worldwide and has about 58,400 employees.
Nokia recently (before the MS deal) bought out Siemens from NSN.
Microsoft has only bought a failing phone division. They don't have the Nokia name for new phones (only ones already on the market). They have a 10 year Patent licence. They thus didn't buy any IP.
So Nokia still exists, will have an extra 7 Billion (approx) and what exactly has MS got? The existing products, and a licence. Not even the brand for the future. A better deal than Ericsson got from Sony (who unlike MS have in the past sold a very wide range of consumer products successfully, though have made some grave mistakes). MS: The mouse, Kinect and Xbox (and overall no profit). The vast bulk of MS profit has always been OEM and Business, despite a retail presence.
Microsoft becoming a combination of Google & Apple seems as likely as IBM succeeding in TV, BD player and Mobile phone / Tablet sales.
MS even managed to lose the OEM set box market and earlier PDA markets and previous Windows Phone which once before Apple iphones etc was over 20%. Zune, Kin all failures. Surface Pro (x86) and Surface RT (ARM) both failures. Dedicated OEM Media Centres based on XP a failure. XP Tablet a failure outside niche markets.
BT even remote "upgraded" existing users set-boxes from WinCE to Linux!
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That will somewhat depend on how long Microsoft are contractually obligated to continue using it. If Microsoft ever decide they can make Bing maps successful they won't hesitate to drop Nokia.
Of course losing any business Microsoft are throwing their way may not make a measurable difference ;)
If Nokia want to grow it fast they should consider building Android support. They originally blamed rejecting Android on not being able to *replace* Google Maps but that wasn't quite true. They can't remove Google Maps, they might even have problems shipping a full replacement on the Play Store, they *can* build and ship a 100% replacement and let users choose which to use. Androids intents system allows that and Nokia should be able to convince suppliers to preinstall their alternative - just like my wifes phone came with the highly inferior Orange maps prominently placed.
Otherwise they're back where this started, in a world where Android is sucking up even low end sales and devices like Asha just slow down that loss.
Not only existed but is available to buy. Kind of.
However it's technically not Nokia any more and you need several £k to buy one.
This being one of Vertu's latest offering which turned out to be Android the instant they got out of Nokia. The hardware for all Vertu phones was Nokia derived, though whether the Android version is the same hardware is another matter, but the shell of the phone would be what they'd have to use for a Win Phone had they stayed in Nokia.
I really want to be able to install Android on some WIndows Phone hardware but any time it's mentioned on mod sites nobody is interested. As much as I like Android I also have an HTC 8X and it's a gorgeous piece of hardware unfortunately MS are intent on releasing updates and new features so it's relegated to backup phone. Why not just get an Android phone? I have Android phones (HTC One X and Nexus 4) but I want to use it on the 8X / Lumia 925 etc.
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