Nokia CEO Stephen Elop explained the reasoning behind his company's decision to go for Windows Phone rather than Android, and it seems Samsung may be to blame.
Once at the top, Nokia saw its market share drop in the smartphone market and eventually decided to ditch its outdated Symbian operating system. In what is still perceived as an odd choice, the Finnish company decided to commit to Microsoft's Windows Phone platform and not Android.
Even today many are still wondering why Nokia never offered an Android smartphone, but now the company's CEO finally reveals why Windows Phone was the platform of choice.
According to The Guardian, Elop explained how Nokia was considering the Android platform, but realized that there was a big risk that "one hardware manufacturer could come to dominate Android." The Nokia CEO did not specifically name Samsung, but it's no secret that the South Korean company dominates the Android market.
In other words, Nokia thought it was better to be a big player on Microsoft's Windows Phone platform than be a little fish in a big Android pond dominated by Samsung. Being able to offer an alternative to Android and iOS is the big advantage this scheme has brought to the table, as Nokia has something different to offer when bargaining with carriers.
While Samsung makes Windows Phone devices as well, Nokia is still the big player here, something it would not have managed with Android. Moreover, in the U.S. it is crucial to have some leverage, something different when bargaining with carriers, as they are the ones who decide which handsets to offer their customers.
Others have tried to keep up with Samsung in the Android market, but to no avail. HTC is perhaps the best example. Although the company has a high-end HTC One smartphone with an elegant metal case and top-notch specs and features, the company still lags far behind Samsung in terms of unit sales.
On the other hand, Nokia saw mixed results when it comes to sales of its Lumia line of smartphones running on Windows Phone. The company would have likely sold more units if its smartphones rocked Android.
© Copyright 2020 Mobile & Apps, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.most read
related stories
more stories from OS / Software
Microsoft has reportedly started talks with HTC to add its Windows OS to the phone maker's Android smartphones and HTC is apparently considering to make a Windows Phone/Android dual-booting smartphone.
ernest hamiltonA bug in Chrome for iOS 7 has caused Google's mobile browser to leak private searches made in 'Incognito' mode.
ernest hamiltonHTC has announced that Sprint has already started to roll out the Android 4.3 update to the HTC One, AT&T and T-Mobile will follow in mid-October, while Verizon will release it by the end of the month.
ernest hamiltonThe new Windows 8.1 has gone up for pre-order on the Microsoft Store, ahead of the official launch on Oct. 18.
ernest hamiltonApple has acknowledged the iOS 7 iMessage issue and promised to provide a fix in an upcoming software update.
ernest hamiltonSamsung Canada and French carrier SFR have confirmed the Android 4.3 Jelly Bean rollout schedule for the Samsung Galaxy S4, Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note 2.
ernest hamiltonThe unlocked, international HTC One is getting Android 4.3 Jelly Bean now, but the U.S. and Canadian versions will 'slightly miss' the end-September timeframe.
ernest hamiltonThe Samsung Galaxy S4, Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note 2 are reportedly slated to get Android 4.3 Jelly Bean in the fourth quarter, by year-end.
ernest hamilton