How come Nokia doesn't make Android devices

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timmmay

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#127110 30-Jul-2013 13:07

Nokia look like they're making great hardware these days, at very competitive prices, but they're handicapped by Windows 8 OS. W8 doesn't look so bad, but it seems to try to combine everything together that I would prefer be kept separate.

How come Nokia aren't making Android devices? Some agreement with Microsoft? Nokia 920 or 1020 hardware with Android would be awesome.

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#868475 30-Jul-2013 13:16

They decided to partner with Microsoft for their mobile push, for a number of reasons, including a lack of confidence in battling Samsung and HTC for the Android-based handset market. Don't expect any Android handsets out of Nokia any time soon.

ubergeeknz

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Vocus

#868485 30-Jul-2013 13:27

Because they are STUPID. They'd make a killing.

macuser

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#868498 30-Jul-2013 13:33

Samsung is making almost all of the money when it comes to Android. If Nokia is able to hurry up Microsoft into speeding up the dev cycle of WP8, Nokia will be better off.

robjg63

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#868517 30-Jul-2013 13:49

ubergeeknz: Because they are STUPID. They'd make a killing.

This.

Many manufacturers have more than one OS on offer.
Im not saying there is anything wrong with the windows phone OS - people who have it speak highly of it - but there are many people who want android instead.
Nokia has always made some pretty nice hardware - they could make some superb android phones if they weren't so stubborn.

I imagine if there was any way to port android to one of the Nokia flagship windows phones it would probably become a sought after device - but I havent seen any evidence that this has happened - so presumably its too hard to do. Maybe it needs a leak from some provocative Nokia tech to save Nokia from itself.

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rhysb

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#868557 30-Jul-2013 14:22

It might have something to do with the US$250 million developer subsidy Microsoft pays them each quarter.

ubergeeknz

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#868578 30-Jul-2013 14:37

macuser: Samsung is making almost all of the money when it comes to Android. If Nokia is able to hurry up Microsoft into speeding up the dev cycle of WP8, Nokia will be better off.

Samsung are making almost all of the money BECAUSE THERE ISN'T MUCH COMPETITION AMONG ANDROID PHONES. If Nokia came in with their excellent hardware, they'd make an absolute killing.

Far more than whatever MS are paying them to keep them locked in with a dead O/S.

And there's nothing to stop them doing both. HTC manage it.

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Inphinity

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#868582 30-Jul-2013 14:39

Well, here's Nokia's explanation.

macuser

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#868584 30-Jul-2013 14:40

ubergeeknz:
macuser: Samsung is making almost all of the money when it comes to Android. If Nokia is able to hurry up Microsoft into speeding up the dev cycle of WP8, Nokia will be better off.

Samsung are making almost all of the money BECAUSE THERE ISN'T MUCH COMPETITION AMONG ANDROID PHONES. If Nokia came in with their excellent hardware, they'd make an absolute killing.

Far more than whatever MS are paying them to keep them locked in with a dead O/S.

And there's nothing to stop them doing both. HTC manage it.

That's because the more money samsung makes, the more money that they can spend on marketing etc - HTC One is a great phone that is on par with the S4 in many ways, but has only sold a fraction of the S4.

Nokia would have the same problem

billgates

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#868591 30-Jul-2013 14:48

Besides Samsung, any other Android OEM making decent or even boat loads of money? Nope.

Nokia is the only OEM in Windows Phone race that is serious about bringing exclusive apps, support and hardware to the table. Samsung and HTC are busy in the Android camp. Nokia's market share in the Windows Phone camp is over 75% now and it's growing every quarter. The sales of their Lumia handsets are growing every quarter.

Do whatever you want to do man.

sidefx

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#868608 30-Jul-2013 15:12

Main reasons have been covered above (and make sense if you step back for a second)

Adding to these explanations though, remember that phone manufacturers are removed from consumers in some ways in many major markets.

Selling to consumers is only a part of the picture. The other part (arguably bigger) is having the ability to negogiate and differentiate your offerings when dealing with carriers\telcos. This is where I think Nokia saw no point in being "just another" android phone manufacturer. They see offering the best windows phones as the differentiater when negogiating with carriers, as they have an alternative to android\apple.

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Snowflake

#868696 30-Jul-2013 16:42

timmmay: Nokia look like they're making great hardware these days, at very competitive prices, but they're handicapped by Windows 8 OS.

the windows os could well be the reason they can make great hardware, several variants, at competitive prices. the windows os hardware stack has a few more rules than the android os hardware stack.

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timmmay

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#868736 30-Jul-2013 17:05

Could be. I've never used a W8 phone much, or known anyone who used one. I don't like the idea of everything being pushed together or shared, and I like decent app support - sometimes I do want a GPS tracker, or a WiFi analyser, or a pedometer, or any one of a dozen random things.

tdgeek

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#868738 30-Jul-2013 17:11

They are copying Apple. I am an apple user, but don't shoot me!!!

Dedicated hardware/os platform, Microsoft is a big name, as is Nokia. I think it makes sense, longer term.

nathan

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#868740 30-Jul-2013 17:12

What did Nokia copy from Apple?

tdgeek

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#868741 30-Jul-2013 17:13

tdgeek: They are copying Apple. I am an apple user, but don't shoot me!!!

Dedicated hardware/os platform, Microsoft is a big name, as is Nokia. I think it makes sense, longer term.

if Nokia went Android as well (I am sure there are Microsoft " rules" on that), they become just another Android phone, where Samsung is rightfully dominant.

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