Off Topic a bit: BB and Nokia

I know this is off topic but I was fiddling in my mind about the idea. So here it is. People keep talking about Windows phone and BB's fighting for the third spot. The only reason I see this as an issue is because of Nokia. Nokia makes arguably some of the nicest phones in the market (just look at the 920). Had Nokia decided to go with Android as opposed to Windows, I don't think anyone would be talking about Windows making a comeback (the only companies that would likely make phones would be Samsung and HTC along with some minor players like Huwaei, ZTE, etc. And maybe Microsoft themselves). I think Nokia made a huge error in not going with Android. With their products and services, they could have easily fought with samsung and the nexus products for 1st spot. I bring this up because when Nokia's contract is done with Windows, and if they opt to go with Android, do you guys think Windows phones will be really relevant? I am a huge fan of Nokia phones (don't worry I am a die hard BB fan), but I think with Android on their phones they will have a better chance at making profit.

Even with nice hardware and camera tech, Nokia doesn't have the bargaining clout. Only Samsung is largely profitable with Android and while Microsoft is putting major $$$ into Nokia, I seem them piggybacking and not ultimately in control of their future. Quite sad as Nokia was a giant force in personal cell phones and made some really solid pre-Android smartphones.

Going Android doesn't mean profitability. The Android market is saturated with hardware.

I think Nokia made the right decision by going with something completely new. Surprisingly, people do like change and WP8 and BB10 will bring that to the market.

I also think that Nokia did the right thing in choosing WP over Android.

What I'm not sure of is whether they should have rebooted Meego instead and gone with Sailfish. As a consumer, I'd rather they'd done this. Someone else would have licensed Windows Phone anyway.

Originally Posted by ovi08

I think Nokia made a huge error in not going with Android. With their products and services, they could have easily fought with samsung and the nexus products for 1st spot.

There's a reason Samsung is No. 1, and it's not easy for anybody to beat them, least of Nokia. The main reason Samsung is winning the war amongst the Android makers is the fact that Samsung is very tightly vertically integrated. Nokia, not so much. Of all the parts that go into a smartphone, they make all the important bits. Everything from the SoC, memory, NAND, screen, camera, basically all the hard to get parts, are manufactured in their own factories. Samsung is Samsung's best customer. That gives them a huge advantage over competitors. Android competes on maybe 3 fronts, price, specs, and brand recognition. Samsung wins on all three. Nokia's brand image is still very respected, but I'm sure they're coming in behind Samsung this year.

Are there companies that can compete with Samsung for the Android market? I think there are. The problem is, Nokia isn't one of them. Companies like Huawei and Lenovo probably have the best shot. Lenovo is expected by some analysts to take the number 1 spot in China in 2013. What makes them true competitors to Samsung is that like Samsung, they both have other lines to draw profits from. Huawei can completely leave the smartphone business and make plenty of money on it's networking equipment. Lenovo is poised to become the largest computer maker in the world. Nokia needs to make money selling smartphones, which means they can't compete on price. Huawei and Lenovo are already selling very inexpensive Android phones in China, prices that Nokia can't really match without losing money. I'm not sure if Nokia can make the Xiaomi business model work. I suspect if Nokia had gone the Android route, they're best case scenario would have been them taking Coolpad's spot.

Going Android would have been a mistake. They would have become just another Android phone maker, in an already crowded ecosystem. The fact that only one manufacturer truly profits from Android isn't very promising either. Nokia needed a platform where it could truly shine and show off why it had been so successful over the years. If you think about it, the 920 running Android wouldn't have made a very big splash. MS offered them some money and a platform full of potential. By giving their full comitment to WP, Nokia became the flagship manufacturer of Windows Phones. WP is also a newer platform than Android, making it a better investment for the future.

I really like WP, and so do others, but we have to wait and see how this all plays out to find out if WP will ever overtake either of the big two anytime soon. All I can say is that from what I've seen from Nokia for the past year, it's lookin good so far

Originally Posted by Roo Zilla

There's a reason Samsung is No. 1, and it's not easy for anybody to beat them, least of Nokia. The main reason Samsung is winning the war amongst the Android makers is the fact that Samsung is very tightly vertically integrated.

Yes they are tightly integrated but that only allows there profits to increase since cost would be down. But if Nokia had chosen to go with Android, I don't think Samsung wouldn't be able to keep their margins as high. The same way BB has it's loyalists, so does Nokia. In an era where brand loyalty is becoming increasingly strong, I think Nokia would've been a better player. I am not saying they won't or could not have success with WP, but personally I think if went with Android and then WP, they could've been in a better financial position. Adoption rates are going to be low for WP8 until Windows 8 doesn't take off, which is probably 1.5 - 2 years away.