Mobile

Nokia Will Eventually Walk Away From Microsoft (Opinion)

Vamien McKalin

The Nokia and Microsoft relationship is one of the strongest in the mobile technology industry, a relationship that began in 2011. The partnership between the two companies came about in the hope of driving up sales of Windows Phones, while also removing Nokia from a terrible spot.

Since the Nokia and Microsoft partnership began, nothing much has changed for the better: Nokia is still struggling and Windows Phone, despite slow growth, is still sitting way behind the likes of Android and iOS.  

At the moment, Nokia's fortunes are still up in the air despite increased sales of Lumia-branded Windows Phone devices. Furthermore, the Finnish giant has fallen behind its biggest rival, Samsung, and the company is lacking an answer to the top new Android devices, the HTC One and the Samsung Galaxy S4. 

However, things could change with the May 14 event that could see Nokia showing off some new gear. These new products could potentially include the rumored Nokia EOS and/ or the Catwalk, both said to be next generation Lumia-branded devices. 

With Nokia creating the most activity on the Windows Phone scene, the big question arises: what might happen if and when Nokia regains control of the mobile market? Would the company continue its relationship with Microsoft? Mostly likely not. 

If Nokia should ever take control of the market it once ruled with an iron fist back in the day, the company would become too big to have its future in the hands of Microsoft. We could see Nokia opting to leave the Windows Phone ecosystem for its own smartphone project, but not before that project is accepted by smartphone users as a viable alternative. 

Take a look at the Samsung and Google relationship, for example. It is clear Samsung hopes to lessen its reliance on Android by teaming up with Intel on the Tizen mobile operating system project. Furthermore, when Samsung held its  conference to officially announce the Galaxy S4, not once was the name Android ever mentioned. 

We see something similar happening with Nokia. Expect in future phone reveals to see Nokia focusing on the Lumia brand and its own services while completely sidestepping what the Microsoft operating system has to offer. Already we see Nokia bolstering its app ecosystem with Nokia Music, Nokia Chat, Nokia Here Maps and more. Soon, Nokia will have an alternative to every major function that makes Windows Phone unique, and these apps will become preinstalled in every Lumia handset. 

In the end, folks will no longer be purchasing a Lumia-branded Windows Phone for the Microsoft experience, but for what Nokia has to offer, and this would give the Finnish giant enough incentive to move away to its own operating system. 

Surely, Microsoft would not be happy with such a move, but the company would still not be happy if Nokia continues to be the main driving force for Windows Phone, since that would make Microsoft less important.

While many would love to see Nokia continue down the path of Windows Phone, we must all come to terms that eventually, all good things must come to an end.

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