Reopening Wounds: ‘Nokia Nexus, the impossible Dream’
Reopening wounds the age old question that you thought had already died. What if Nokia had gone Android. I guess it’s a slow news day but Vlad from TheVerge had been contemplating again what if Nokia had gone Android. He’s enamoured with the pillowy design of the 800/N9 which is seen yet again in the 920. But he’d like the OS to be JellyBean. (iOS is of course no option, but the more I play with my new iPad, I’m glad it’s not).
It’s certainly stirred up some comments.
http://www.theverge.com/2012/9/10/3307317/nokia-nexus-the-impossible-dream
I’m not going to discuss all over again why Nokia didn’t go Android and what Nokia should and should have done on that fateful day.
For me, WP works almost just how I want it to. That’s how it is for others too, but there are also others who want/need something else.
For those who wanted that design with Android, look no further than the N9 with Nitroid.
Cheers Vlad for the tip.
Category: Nokia, Windows Phone
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I am glad that they didn’t go with Android. In an ideal world, Meego would have been a huge success and we could live with a true Linux smart phone. Sadly, that did not come to pass. Android, however, is a cluster**** with a UX resembling a train wreck. Not to mention the location and mapping services would be directly competing with Google on their own platform.
The Windows Phone UX is miles ahead of Android. I hope Nokia succeeds with it. As far as I am concerned, I will stick with my N9 till its dying breath. It is the closest to a perfect experience that I can get.
you wish the verge, stay with those ugly samsungs
Someone should open up the technical opportunities and limitations that Amazon’s approach to Android brings.
Your argument on mapping/location does not stick since just last week we heard that Amazon will use Nokia’s location solution.
One of the big advantages would have been hardware adaptation. What Ive hearf is that Android is treated as THE platform for which all manufacturers make HW adaptation themselves. (and Jolla seems to try to get to reuse the Android adaptation in Mer).
There are several companies doing eg information systems on top Android with Qt. Hence there had been true demand for that combination, which means Nokia would not have needed to carry all dev costs themselves.
soo you are telling me while android was getting more refined after every update and actually evolving
you are telling me a bunch of washroom fisher price tiles are better that widgets with different and fun to personalize homescreens
XD….bbbbbhahahahah
I hope that Nokia will never go Android, Elop made the right choice.
+1 فقهث
you actually typed it in arabic ,LOL
If they had, they wouldn’t be announcing phone with innovative cameras like the L920. Android is a spec-pissing contest; you sell phones by jamming cores into it and giving it extra RAM just ’cause they can. They couldn’t afford to do that *and* put new cameras into them.
Back when the announcements first happened I wished they had stuck with Meego, now I’m just happy they chose something other than Android.
the very same spec contest will happen with WP, if the platform grows and other OEMs get more interested. Btw do we yet know HTCs device specs?
As many commenters have said, what Nokia showed in NW was in no way tied with WP (maybe the camera software plugin was one, which would have not been possible with Android)
Shoulda, coulda, didn’t. These wish list articles are really getting painful man..
On a side note, Forbes article calls out Nokia and msft. Nokia labelled junior partner.. bit player joining the ranks of other oems.
Now that was a really painful article to read.
Think the other way around. If they would have chosen Android, no one would write articles asking about Windows in a Nokia.
Looking how good the N9 is, they should have focused on MeeGo. That would have been the perfect transition, move users to MeeGo while keeping Symbian.
Wasn’t that the initial roadmap? and I agree with your statement. If Nokia had gone Android, no one would have even thought of wp on a Nokia. If the had kept using MeeGo, even better..
Of course not. Without Nokia, Windows Phone would be dead. But that’s not necessarily saying it’s the wrong decision. Together, they could still be possibly better together in the long term.
What worries me is that it’s getting to a stage where it doesn’t matter so much how good Nokia makes their products. They’re just trying to swim against the Droid/iOS tide.
“They’re just trying to swim against the Droid/iOS tide.” on a boat that is late and will be late until November, with no significant new feature so far, except no backwards compatibility that Osborned current Lumia sales way before launching the new one.
Read the Forbes article on lumia. Nokia gains nothing from this partnership with msft. Nokia should have stuck it out with the old roadmap. At least then Nokia’s reputation for great build quality would have been used to pull customers to Nokia’s benefit rather than msft. Rather than having part of the wp cake, Nokia could have had the whole cake while maintaining full control.
That cake was old and stale, crumbling in their hands.
At least they need extra efforts, like what 920 is going to deliver, and the result is still uncertain.
However, I really can’t see the benefit for Nokia adopting WP, as Pureview, Puremotion, and the map apps are all the innovation are purely from Nokia, not from MS.
I remember many people said Meego and Symbian should be replaced as they take time to deliver. How about now with WP8? I see no customization, and again delay delay delay…
Says enough about the the verge’s biases.
Android is pure spec wars, and we’re getting to the point where we’re not going to be adding more cores, or larger screens anymore. Slightly faster, yeah, more memory, yeah, but nothing much to show for it. What, this android can multitask 60 apps instead of 30 because it has twice the ram? What’s next? 120 apps? While still not having the smoothness of WP7 on one core? (no jellybean is not there)
By rumors, the screen on the 920 is absolutely amazing, the faster refresh very noticable, and WP8 completely gorgeous on the higher resolution, with excellent blacks and color. The lenses functionality is very clever, the cinemagraph very pointless but a lot of fun and showing the potential. Touch with gloves is a very big deal (winter, but also sports). OIS by all tests and examples _not_ conducted by the verge seems to be the real deal. Wireless charging is cool. They can be very proud of the 920.
Would I like an SD slot? Yes. Have I ever used the one on my N8? No. Will I survive with 32 GB? Yes. Should they add one to the next flagship? Yes.
Can’t wait to get one, leaning towards yellow
You see wgat u did there was pulled the words right out of my mouth, especially the micro sd card bit +100000
You see what u did there was pulled the words right out of my mouth, especially the micro sd card bit +100000
I think they went with internal storage because it’s faster than MicroSD and they can guarantee the speeds and reliability, compared to user-provided cards. 64GB would be better though.
WP users keep on saying at how smooth its UI is when really you only have tiles with basic colors compared with android SERIOUSLY.
Faster refresh rate…I Have an Android and an N9 and I have never noticed the refresh rate nor really cared about it…
Touch with gloves. Never occurred to me since it never snow here. But very interesting feature!!
Wireless charging is cool and not until its an industry standard and have seriously undergone intensive testing would many people really jump into it. Doesn’t really solve anything if its for one device only.
OIS and the SD slot. OIS is mainly for a stable video right? Not unless you’ll be recording at a quality less than 720p or the feature would only sit around in your phone would the 32GB be rational.
Funnily enough you are listing hw specs in your comment…
i want a symbian with that design.
I know it may seem unlikely at the present time, but I believe eventually the mobile market including smart phones, tablets, etc. will follow the same route as did PC’s. Microsoft will end up dominating the market, Apple will be a minor player, and Android will go the way of Linux.
sorry but don’t think there is an IBM around here to serve Microsoft the entire system monopoly on a plate
I agree it will follow the PC route and that’s why MS with their locked down, tightly controlled approach will fail and why Android (or other open platform) will succeed.
Sure, that open platform really worked for Linux didn’t it.
Notice I said “open” not “open source”. What is MS trying to do with WP (and W8) is radical departure from how they succeeded in ’90s. If you want to draw lessons from PC then the big one is that walled garden approach will fail. And funnily enough, that’s what is happening with smartphones now.
I get the impression you are speaking of the Metro UI (yes I know they changed the name, but I will always refer to it as Metro) and I totally agree, to me it sucks. However I can see that a lot of people will like it for its simplicity but I am not one of them, if they just made it an option instead of an absolute I would really like the idea of my phone, tablet, laptop, and desktop to have the ability to really communicate with each other, which I think is going to be the main factor with a lot of people that do not currently own a smartphone to go with WP, because it will be more familiar to them the other choices. The one thing I have never liked about Apple is that they have a really walled in system, at least with Windows, anybody can right and market a program that will run on windows and anybody can build hardware that works with Windows, you cannot say that about Apple.
Actually, I’m not talking about the UI, but about the platform. MS started with open platform, you could put Windows on essentially whatever HW you wanted, you could install whatever SW you wanted, developers could hack Windows as much they wanted, etc.
With WP8 MS wants to tightly control all that, they are dictating manufacturers what HW they can use, with Marketplace they will control the SW you can install, they want to place themselves everywhere on the platform they smell money and ban alternatives, etc. If you want to have at least as open platform as first MS products were, you have to go to Android (or MeeGo).
But you can find parallels even on the UI front. In 90s MS copied Apple (which copied others, of course) and was sued by Apple. Now Apple is suing Android…
The idea that people will flock to the ecosystem with integrated PC is myth, practically everyone who matters in smartphones succeeded without PC OS, and on the other hand MS repeatedly failed.
And what is worse for MS, in the direction things are moving, soon people wont even need PC with Windows installation. Smartphones are becoming so powerful that when 90 % of people will need to use big monitor and keyboard, they will just use their smartphone as the computer and connect the peripherals to it wirelessly.
No, it has nothing to do with the UI (which is fugly beyond all comprehension, but then again beauty is in the eye of the beholder) it has to do with a way the system is conceived – Microsoft is in total control of it. From hardware aspects, which severely cripples manufacturers to compete with various hardware setups (for example Nokia could’ve used OMAP5 which is slightly more powerful than Qualcomm’s offer, and Nokia has long lasting relationships with TI and ST-Ericsson so they would get better deals in such case; this way the Lumia 920 is not all that different than Samsung ATIV S), to software aspects which make developers jump through loops and holes to get their software available on the platform, downright to the consumers in general who don’t own nor control most of the device they’ve purchased. With the approach Microsoft is taking with the WP (and WindowsRT in general) you get into the bizarre situation where you pay good cash for a device which appears only leased by Microsoft as you can’t do jack shit on it without Microsoft’s approval.
As for the ‘phone, tablet, laptop and desktop’ having the ability to ‘really communicate’ – while that was a promise all along, Microsoft doesn’t seem to act on it. Sure, they haven’t yet released all the details, but they’ve said that Windows 8 (desktop) will automatically download software to interact with your WP8 device – that is no different than the current Zune situation. If they cannot make their own systems, running on the same base, communicate natively and seamlessly integrate with each other (i.e. you connect your phone and suddenly you can use its apps on your desktop, or can access its files directly as if it was on your HDD, or…) then what else can you expect from them? That’s like saying that the iPhone integrates flawlessly with a Windows system using the iTunes. Of course, I’m sure they could integrate them nicely, but then they would either have to impose the same restrictions on their desktop systems which would be downright unacceptable for the majority, or will have to remove the artificial restrictions on their WP systems which would break their whole business strategy on that front which they don’t seem to consider at the moment.
On the other hand, check how my N9 and N900 integrate with both Linux and Windows: http://mynokiablog.com/2012/05/30/video-nokia-603-multitasking-57-apps-on-belle-fp1/comment-page-1/#comment-582314 (scroll down for images, the comment system screwed the composition). I have now better integration between Windows 7 and my N9/N900 (it works other way around, I am able to access all the files on my computer from my N9/N900 as well) than users of WP8 will have with their Windows 8 systems.
As for the `walled in system`, well that’s exactly what Microsoft is doing now, and that’s exactly what Microsoft wasn’t doing when they won over Apple, and that’s exactly what nn is referring to when he says ‘open’ (and that’s exactly what made Linux the most used OS in the world, check bellow when my post appears as its awaiting moderation atm.) At least with Windows anybody could write and market a program, and anybody could build hardware that works with it. Not anymore. Now Microsoft controls what hardware you will use (at least for all non-desktop systems) and you can obtain apps only through their app store (Marketplace) which passed their vetting process, even for the desktop systems if you intend to use whatever-they-want-to-call-Metro-now apps. You cannot write an app and put it on your device unless Microsoft approves of it. That’s exactly what Apple is doing, and that’s exactly why Microsoft will hardly succeed – why would anyone buy a WP device which comes with same restrictions as Apple’s one? Apple at least have already established ecosystem (god, I hate that word). If I wanted such a system I’d get me an iPhone a long time ago and be done with it.
Of course it worked for Linux. Linux is unquestionably the most used OS on the planet. From the most powerful supercomputers to coffee machines (Qt to boot as well!) From the best selling server in the world (sure, you can opt-in for Windows on it as well) to two thirds of all the routers and other network equipment, including approximately two thirds of the whole Internet in general. From the most of CERN systems to the most used smartphone OS in the world.
Linux has been, and continues to be, a tremendous success and its success lies mainly in the fact that it is open (and open-source) and extremely versatile. Nothing comes even close to it. Which is why Microsoft hates its guts and why at many points in time many of their executives were trashing it, from the mild `bad for competition` to downright calling it a `cancer of the computing world`. Nonetheless, they had to get involved and contribute as their server business is rapidly diminishing, which paradoxically and ironically forced Microsoft to get involved and last year they made it to the list of top 20 Linux contributors. Of course, they did it so they can implement the virtualization elements so at least some of their software can cooperate with the vast majority of servers out there which don’t carry a Windows logo, but it still is funny to watch.
The only place where Linux didn’t manage to to become the majorly used platform are desktop computers, and that has more to do with politics, competition strong-arming including some heavily illegal practices for which Microsoft has paid hefty sums so far, than with deficiencies of Linux. But I submit to you that if Microsoft adopts Apple’s model of tight hardware and software control, the proverbial walled garden approach, which they seem to like more and more and are trying to impose it on all the Win8 systems, it will be just a question of time when Linux will become a dominant player in that field as well. What made Microsoft triumph over Apple, if we forget the shady practices, is primarily that their OS wasn’t as picky as Apple’s, and they didn’t try to impose their control nor favor some OEMs over others – that allowed desktop Windows proliferation all over the world. Had they exhibit the Applesque tight control over their systems they wouldn’t be able to establish their monopoly and consequently become the vastly dominant player on the desktop market.
tl;dr: Linux has been a tremendous success and it owns its success mainly to its openness.
I’m quite happy Nokia didn’t go Android. Though they very wrll may have slashed Samsung’s profits in half on that front, being equipped as the 920 is now. However, the Lumias would not have stood out as they do now, lost in a sea of me-too disposable handsets trying to sell the next best one thw fallowing season.
The HTC Titan II is only ever mentioned in passing. No one speaks of the Samsung Focus S. You say Windows Phone, they say Lumia. Tardy to the party? Ya, but the party didn’t really start ’til Nokia got there. Like has been said before; at this point, Windows Phone needs Nokia more than Nokia needs WP.
A shame that Nokia Belle and MeeGo got the axe, but Meego is better off in the hands of real passionate caretakers, ans there is a solid chance that the Finns will colaborate, be it manufacturing and licensing, up to Jolla being a subsidiary of Nokia.
What a terrible prospect… I’ve said it many times, and I’ll say it again, if there is a strong reason for me to really hate Elop, apart from ruining one of my favorite tech companies, is that I’ll be probably, eventually forced to move to the painful world of Android.
In a sense, I despise Android more than I do WP, and that says a lot. Android was/is a good idea gone wrong on so many levels, WP was a bad idea from the start so I have less qualms with it. The sad thing is that with Maemo/MeeGo gone (well, technically, I still hold my hopes high for what Jolla might do with it), as a consumer I am left only with Android as something even remotely usable and fitting my needs. Sure, I’d have to hack the bejeezus out of it to make it work the way I want, but at least I could – no such luck with iOS, and especially not with WP.
Paradoxically, what Vlad dreams of would still keep me as a Nokia customer, tho. An unwilling and frustrated one, but still a customer. With WP-or-bust I just can’t see why would I buy a Nokia device ever again. That is, unless Microsoft changes the WP in such a radical way that the current miniscule WP fandom starts despising it…
+1
+1000
Bro, may be you should seriously consider Galaxy Note II. I’m evaluating it now to replace my N9 64G, which ran very unstable recently after 11 months life. My N9 having problem in sms handling, sometime very slow to load sms database. Phone call handling also quite poor and difficult to administrate. The ear piece hole too small and you need to align accurately, which is very troublesome if you are in hurry or urgent call. The OS getting buggy over time too.
N9 just an average product from Nokia, IMO.
It’s not actually, mine’s had some issues, but it’s all been rectifiable with some brain power & research.
That’s something you can’t do (or are very limited) with most other OS’s, except for Android to SOME extent.
One don’t need to be genius to see that WP is block of concrete drowning Nokia down. It’s especially funny how people argue that things like 920 are proving Elop right when the last event again clearly showed that the exact opposite is true.
With Android Nokia could be selling the phone now and with better specs circumventing the compromises mandated by WP. With MeeGo they could do the same and also reap the benefits of having ecosystem under their control.
But no, Stephen “WP o muerte” Elop said that no alternatives are allowed. Nokia have to keep mindlessly pushing alien OS that almost nobody wants and that, in the end, can’t bring them one single benefit.
…And when they’re all done and the cards have fallen where they may. I’ll take my 920 in Meego flavor. Better yet, I’ll take two of those..in black.
Nokia Nexus? The title sounds like a piece of joke since Google has been looking down on Nokia with disdain since day one.
If the 920 guts are so similar to the S3, maybe Android could be ported…
it wouldnt have made sense to go android imo
if they went that way then they should simply have stuck with maemo and come up with a system to allow users to use Android apps like blackberry has
I have a better question. Why not both?
Nokia should not have gone with WP ore Android, but instead Meego/Harmattan with integrated Android apps. Quick and dirty? Yes… But would it work?……YES.
Definitely works. It’s exqctly what Jolla is doing, partnering with ACL Tech to have a large market right out of thr gate.
http://gigaom.com/europe/jolla-says-its-meego-handsets-will-run-android-apps/
Hopefully, they’ll be able to license Nokia’s mapping, CBD, and camera tech as well to some degree.
That story was wrong, jolla ceo later rebutted it, saying they have never revealed exactly what they’re planning, it’s unlikely too, based on everything they’ve said.
I used Nokia phones for 10 years and they were the best phones at the time and I want Nokia to succeed. Nokia make a big mistake by going with WP. Stock price has fallen down to $2.61; they are selling patents to keep company going and there have to close factories just to stay in business and all because WP is not very well accepted among customers. After 2 years with WP Nokia market share of smartphone market is what 4-5% (without Symbian), it is pathetic. With Android Nokia would have a successful OS with a lot of potential customers. Add to this a best camera I the market, all the patents that Nokia holds and great build quality and Nokia would have been on the top already.
You are right! Nokia has lost a lot of customers because of Windows Phone.
God No!
Thank god it never panned out like that…
Android is terrible software, just terrible. (Personal Opinion)
maybe nokia shud give the options for users to select between android, symbian and windows.
I think that would be cool. They make the same hardware with diferent os..
Harmattan+MeeGo/WP/Symbian(maybe, but a waste of time LT)
Fixed that for you….
Had Nokia gone with Android , they could’ve done what Amazon and Russia r doing : create their own version of Android , a successful scheme evidentally …
That said , WP was the right choice , just not by itself as Elop and the board r doing . E.g. they should have kept Meego and Symbian …
One of my major complaints about WP is the UI ; not only is it fugly IMO , but it doesn’t do what a home screen should do , convey enough information at a glance to keep u current at a glance . The tiles convey some info but I found that u had to go into the tiles to get enough info , which cripples the home screen .
And u r not forced into Android if u don’t like WP as I do . There’s Jolla Mobile later this year and BB10 early next year , which has significant Symbian / Meego elements to it , looking forward to those ! Cheers !