So apparently Nokia is going to release an Android phone.

[WelshBloke]

Except is going to be low spec and not have any googley goodness in it.

I'm not really seeing the point myself. If it was high end and had all the Google stuff I might be interested.
I can't see Microsoft setting up and maintaining an Android app store as well as the WP one.

So it's going to be low spec (which WP does) and not have a decent app store (which WP also does). So what's the point?

 

[Sheep]

So that they could say "We did what everyone wanted and released an Android handset but it didn't sell. Windows Phone for everyone!".

 

[pantsaregood]

The phone was originally put into development before the Microsoft deal happened. The device is intended to fall somewhere between Asha and Lumia - Nokia couldn't really produce a device running WP8 for less than the Lumia 520.

Also, I don't really get the "low spec" comment. Lumia 1520 and Icon rung Snapdragon 800s with 2 GB of RAM. The app situation has reached a point where they're mostly there, but even at a point of parity, people are sure to continue complaining.

 

[WelshBloke]

Nokia couldn't really produce a device running WP8 for less than the Lumia 520.

I thought that WP was supposed to need less hardware to run than android?

Also, I don't really get the "low spec" comment. Lumia 1520 and Icon rung Snapdragon 800s with 2 GB of RAM.

Again, people keep saying that WP runs well on lower spec phones than android does.

The app situation has reached a point where they're mostly there, but even at a point of parity, people are sure to continue complaining.

You think Microsoft are going to run a fully featured android market for this phone?

 

[DefDC]

If it dual boot Windows and Android, I might be more enthusiastic. Was anybody pining for a Nokia Android device?

 

[WelshBloke]

Was anybody pining for a Nokia Android device?

There was quite a bit of desire for a high end Android version of the Lumia when it came out.

 

[Ravynmagi]

I know this is something started before Microsoft started it's purchase of Nokia. But Nokia and Microsoft has been pretty close and it seems unlikely Nokia would start making a phone with a rival OS on it without Microsoft's blessing.

I wonder if this phone is meant to bait Android users into trying Windows Phone? It's built on Android so it can run Android apps (though there won't be a Google store to easily install them from), yet it will mimic the Windows Phone UI with tiles and such. And will feature Nokia's apps.

And it's a low spec phone, because it has to be super cheap. Because nobody in their right mind would pay a premium for this confused monstrosity.

 

[crashtestdummy]

I thought that WP was supposed to need less hardware to run than android?

Again, people keep saying that WP runs well on lower spec phones than android does.

You think Microsoft are going to run a fully featured android market for this phone?

My guess:

Nokia wanted to replace Asha, which means that it's not really looking for something that is a full-featured smart phone, but is rather a feature phone with some "smart" features like email, a browser, and so on. Think something like the Firefox OS.

While Windows Phone does run a full feature set on a low-end device better than Android, Microsoft also really wants to maintain the same feature set and user experience across all devices that support it, which means you need a minimum level of power to run everything. With "Normandy", Nokia could strip the OS of everything superfluous, add a couple features, and sell it to the developing world where something like this is in demand. I wouldn't be surprised if this device is never sold in the US.

 

[WelshBloke]

I wonder if this phone is meant to bait Android users into trying Windows Phone? It's built on Android so it can run Android apps (though there won't be a Google store to easily install them from), yet it will mimic the Windows Phone UI with tiles and such. And will feature Nokia's apps.

I can't see it working as bait. If anything it'll have the opposite effect.

A person buying a phone then having a crappy, crippled experience on that phone is going to be unlikely to buy a similar phone from the same manufacturer.

I suppose that this means that there will be android versions of Nokia apps for everyone else to sideload, although I bet this thing doesn't get a lot of dev love from either Microsoft or Nokia.

And it's a low spec phone, because it has to be super cheap. Because nobody in their right mind would pay a premium for this confused monstrosity.

I'm just wondering why they didn't make a cheaper WP version rather than this.

 

[gorcorps]

Do you have any link or proper info on this? I'm struggling to get much out of the post when the most informative statement is "no googley goodness".

 

[WelshBloke]

Do you have any link or proper info on this? I'm struggling to get much out of the post when the most informative statement is "no googley goodness".

Link

 

[Commodus]

The short answer, I think: Nokia wanted something to replace the open framework underneath Asha, and it was a lot faster/cheaper to rework Android than salvage something like Symbian or Meltemi.

No doubt the company's developers are just thankful that they're announcing this before Microsoft takes over, because that will at least mean that it sees the light of day. Microsoft is notorious for killing or wrecking good projects simply because they're Not Windows (see: Courier, Kin).

 

[WelshBloke]

The short answer, I think: Nokia wanted something to replace the open framework underneath Asha, and it was a lot faster/cheaper to rework Android than salvage something like Symbian or Meltemi.

No doubt the company's developers are just thankful that they're announcing this before Microsoft takes over, because that will at least mean that it sees the light of day. Microsoft is notorious for killing or wrecking good projects simply because they're Not Windows (see: Courier, Kin).

But without a lot of long term support or having Google services on it I don't see this being a "good project".

It could end up being a smartphone with no app store and no apps. Which would make it a dumbphone with crappy battery life.

 

[notposting]

This phone isn't meant for the US (like Asha). Who knows if MS will even bother to let it go out into the world after the merger.

 

[Zaap]

I wonder if this phone is meant to bait Android users into trying Windows Phone? It's built on Android so it can run Android apps (though there won't be a Google store to easily install them from), yet it will mimic the Windows Phone UI with tiles and such. And will feature Nokia's apps.

Sounds like the worst of both worlds.

 

[gmaster456]

What would a Nokia Android phone offer that we don't already get from other OEMs? Other than maybe a good camera.