Report: Nokia Has Been Working on an Android Phone
Nokia once described companies that use Android to Finnish boys who 'pee in their pants' for warmth (i.e., only temporary relief). However, it looks like the company could soon be producing an Android phone of its own.
Nokia adopted Windows Phone as its primary smartphone OS in 2011 and is now owned by Microsoft. But does that mean the company will be churning out exclusively Windows Phone devices? Maybe not. Rumor has it that Nokia has been building its own Android phone. Codenamed Normandy, the device is supposedly a low-end phone that runs a customized version of Android. The picture above allegedly shows Normandy in all its glory and was posted to Twitter by well-known leaker @evleaks.
According to The Verge, this device was in development before Microsoft agreed to buy Nokia, and it's not yet clear if development will continue prior to the closing of the Microsoft deal, or if Microsoft will ditch the project once the acquisition closes.
A couple of years back, Google's Eric Schmidt said Mountain View would have loved to have partnered with Nokia and that the company had 'certainly tried' to convince Nokia to go Android over Windows Phone. The issue at the time was supposedly down to Nokia feeling like it wouldn't be able to differentiate itself in the Android market. A modified version of the Android OS (and we're talking modified like Kindle Fire, not modified like Sense UI), would certainly resolve that issue.
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if it was still merely partnered with Microsoft, then fine... but I can't see a Microsoft OWNED Nokia using another OS
Modifying the whole OS doesn't sound like a moneymaker for a half/outside/of/water company like Nokia.
"According to The Verge, this device was in development before Microsoft agreed to buy Nokia, "
???
Maybe the title should have been, 'Report: Nokia previously worked on an android phone". The current title has totally wasted my time
If a vendor like Nokia were to just wake up one day and decide to do the same, their app situation would sink their ship. If they had gone Android (past tense) the only way to do it would be a semi-custom UI and some exclusive apps, and full access to Google Play. Would that have been enough to keep them from being another HTC? Hard to say.
I really miss the Nokia Days.
even after 6 years of extra development google maps is still not as good as nokia maps was on my e51.
WP8 is more messy than android. It's better now than in April, when i started using it, but i'm merely tolerating it.
WP8 is more restrictive than Android while not being as well done as iOS, so you end up stuck in the middle, with a bit of both but really no solid advantages of either.