The industry and users screamed for a Nokia smartphone powered by Android os, but it never happened, and now that Microsoft has acquired the company, it is never going to happen. It’s a hope forbidden forever, though recent report from New York Times reveal that android-based Nokia phone project was running in Nokia’s secret labs as ‘plan B’ in case if the company decides to plunge into android ecosystem. Codenamed ‘Mview’ (short for Mountain View, home of Google, here), the project focused on using android on low-end devices of Nokia. It planned to fork heavily customized version of android. Efforts were also on for providing more features to low-cost asha series phones with ‘AOL’ project (short for Asha on Linux). In a nutshell, Nokia wanted to further strengthen its line of devices in low-cost segment in which it stills sells strong in many regions of globe.
Nokia was also planning to go with Google as failback plan for its mainstream series of smartphones i.e. Lumia series, may be under a different name instead of Lumia. Reportedly, Nokia was not satisfied with the pace of growth of Windows Phone OS. It felt limited and under-paced with the competition.
The Verge reports that Microsoft was also working for a Surface phone. Microsoft was exploring the possibility of a surface phone, like its surface tablet. Nokia has around 80% market share in Windows Phones. The Windows platform promotion deal between Microsoft and Nokia effective since 2011, will have ended in 2014 as per terms of the contract. Microsoft had to have alternative plan with its Surface phone in case its partnership with Nokia soured. Sources reporting this matter have acknowledged that Microsoft was also aware of Nokia’s side projects with android, although Nokia-android affair has been considered not to degree effect for Microsoft’s Nokia acquisition.
What all this means to users, consumers – The answer is nothing. With acquisition of Nokia confirmed, the scope of android based Nokia phones is caged in darkness forever. Now that Nokia has moved on. We should do the same. Lets completely renounce such a hope. The brand that used to matter is in state of oblivion. Its future rests in Windows Phones os, whose future is still uncertain. There is similarity between both the companies. They lacked pace and so they’ve been outpaced by the competition. Microsoft windows phone os has been outpaced by android. Likewise, Nokia has been outgrown by Samsung. Both the companies have learned their lesson. Moreover, we do have feelings crouching in our heart that Microsoft might revive Windows phone as well as Nokia’s prowess in smartphone industry in future since the two company and the gap between them will be apparently gone. They might bring the unified, progressive and fairly competitive smartphone ecosystem with promising devices in coming time.
Before closing, I’d like to ask readers’ opinion on Whether Nokia’s foray in android ecosystem would have changed the smartphone industry, or if Nokia android phones could have brought back the limelight of leadership that it lost to the competition?
Related posts:
Expect Windows RT Tablet from Nokia and HTC
HTC One VS Sony Xperia Z VS Nokia Lumia 920 VS BlackBerry Z10 – Phones Comparison
Nokia Lumia 520 Specification, Price, Release Date
Technology News – Nokia Lumia 510, HTC Desire SV, Karbonn A21, A9+
Nokia Asha 310 Full Specification, Price – Touchscreen Dual Sim with WiFi Phone