With the Lumia 900 going sour so quickly and prompting, a lot of users to move on to other brands, Nokia is certainly feeling the pressure of sticking to a partner that does not care about OEM manufacturers. In the latest announcement by their so called partner, Microsoft is not planning to release Windows 8 or any “basic” version of it to devices older than the actual Windows 8 operating system. What’s left to the users is a Windows Mobile 7.8 that tries its best to look like a Windows 8 device.
Microsoft further loses popularity as it announced the release of a “vaporware” product they call the “Surface”. Releasing a product that cannot be sold yet, with an OS that cannot be used yet, seems like a very feeble attempt at trying to generate interest and buzz for the upcoming operating system. They certainly did not do Nokia any favors by not warning them of not releasing a phone that would become obsolete in a matter of months.
Nokia has been questioned as of late at what they would eventually do if Windows 8 becomes another flop in the mobile space, or if it just doesn’t get adopted in the long run. The question is met with a very vague reply that Nokia has a contingency plan in case the Hail Mary pass misses.
So even themselves don’t have complete faith in Windows 8. More so, since Microsoft certainly doesn’t seem to plan to do them any favors. So, what do you think they have in store if the plan fails? Many would think of only one alternative that should have been done long ago: Android.
Sure, the world of Android manufacturers is packed, but there are always those comments in the forums saying that they wish they had Nokia’s hardware with Google’s software. There are still those that believe in Nokia’s designs. Truth be told, when I heard that Symbian would be abandoned, I jumped at the idea of Android on a Nokia phone. Still, we all know which way they turned.
Although I always had faith that Nokia is cooking up some Android devices in a secret lab somewhere, I was recently kind of hoping that they do succeed with Windows 8. There are simply too many Android devices already, and fragmentation is a huge problem. They don’t need to add to the problem right now. Windows 8 actually provides a much needed source of competition that would stir the two-way battle between Apple and Google manufacturers. Maybe they would stop bickering in court long enough to actually be more efficient and product-focused so that Microsoft won’t overshadow them with their grand plan. That may be wishful thinking, but then again, dreaming is for free.
For the moment, Nokia is still clinging on to dear life. While they may have options in other forms of business, Nokia is all about phones. The best they can do now is to learn from their mistake and actually work closer into making sure that Windows 8 will integrate successfully into their devices. Who knows? They might actually make a really large wave in the smartphone world if they play their cards right.
What about you, dear readers? Do you think Nokia should jump ship again and join the Android horde? Or do you think that Nokia’s destiny is to be a Windows Phone powerhouse?
Image sources: electricpig.co.uk, moby-tech.com, androidheadlines.com, wish21.deviantart.com
