Just what I was afraid of. I just don't see this as doing much for Nokia and I just see it as a free boost for Windows Mobile. I switched from Nokia (All but one of my previous phones) to Android last year and now I see no reason to ever go Nokia again (Sorry I know some of you are big Windows Mobile fans, I just don't want it).

Poor MeeGo. I was quite hopeful that would give my N900 a new breath of life, guess I might as well dump it and go buy a htc or something now.

I think you will probably find more android than Winmo fans on here bud!

Personally i think this is a good move from Nokia, Symbian is outdated and rubbish. No-one wants it and they need a new angle. Hardware wise they can and do make good stuff so what it needs is some flash new software to compliment it. Winmo 7 might still be quite young but after having a play with it i have to say i was impressed, it was really quite nice to use. If Nokia can take some of the things they have learned from Symbian to Winmo and Microsoft can slap Nokia into realizing they are not the mac daddy anymore and need to listen to what the public want there may be a success story to be told.

cheesemp
Just what I was afraid of. I just don't see this as doing much for Nokia and I just see it as a free boost for Windows Mobile. I switched from Nokia (All but one of my previous phones) to Android last year and now I see no reason to ever go Nokia again (Sorry I know some of you are big Windows Mobile fans, I just don't want it).

Why affriad of it? Symbian was a turd. It has one of the worst APIs I've ever seen, you have to use Objective C to come up with more strange and perverse concepts.

WP7 is lacking in so many ways, the API set is very nicely written, but just to small.

As a developer I love how I can use Recative Extensions type programming to functionally in a procedural langauge express the program workflow. Silverlight makes making something look ‘cool’ very easy.

But why, pray microsoft, can I not record from the microphone in an application? *shakes fist*.

Andriod user interface is really far behind the WP7 one, you don't need to use it long to find out. It is however missing features.

The problem is what does nokia bring to the party, their maps? They have a very good production facillity for low cost hardware I suppose. But are they really able to churn them out for less than HTC or Samsung?

Yes symbian was awful - I had the N96 and regretted the purchase more than anything else I've every owned. I was just really hoping they'd adopt Android - I've been using it for a year now and love it. Its just the hardware that lets it down - something Nokia are great at. What I'm afraid of is this being another nail in the coffin of Nokia - I think its going to be very hard for Windows Mobile ecosystem to develop as the Android/iOS ones are now so large.

cheesemp
What I'm afraid of is this being another nail in the coffin of Nokia -

Nah, your wrong. This will give Nokia a completely new lease of life. Nokia will now concentrate on what they did best - making phones and let an experienced software company do the software side of things for them.

I see one side of an arguement for Android on a Nokia device, but there are more than enough Android handsets now on the market that are very good. With Nokia and Windows the consumer has more choice again.

Windows mobile 7 is very good for an early mobile os, but lacked afforable handsets. With Nokia on board we will see alot more handsets at all price ranges and competition will be rife between Nokia/Microsoft and Android handsets makers.

Also with more Windows handsets on the market means more support from Microsoft and more development.

Three real os's to choose from is all good for the consumer, each os now supported by good hardware. Probably the real looser might be Apple as they only appeal to the high end market where we know alot of people are adopting Android instead.

cheesemp
Yes symbian was awful - I had the N96 and regretted the purchase more than anything else I've every owned. I was just really hoping they'd adopt Android - I've been using it for a year now and love it. Its just the hardware that lets it down - something Nokia are great at. What I'm afraid of is this being another nail in the coffin of Nokia - I think its going to be very hard for Windows Mobile ecosystem to develop as the Android/iOS ones are now so large.

Hmm I wouldn't really agree, its not normally the hardware letting down android, its often the batterylife. Andriod has the most feature rich web browser on the market, but even with flash turned off it still runs like a big turd that just won't leave no matter how hard you squeeze.

On slower hardware the WP7 browser which is comparatively primitive with no flash or even on page silverlight (apparently thats Q3/4 this year), however it is faster than any of those I've seen on a desire HD or Galaxy S, despite been slower and cheaper hardware.

Now I don't know how much of that is the extra functionality, but when you compare the andriod interface with the Metro UI, it is just not in the same league.

The question comes are Nokia able to lead the development of the extra features which are wanted.

removing Meego from their mass-market strategy is a stupid, stupid decision!

I really don't know why Nokia doesn't make multi handsets for various OSs like HTC does???

If they follow HTC model and just start making good smartphones, they will regain their share market because the Nokia's brand is so much more powerful.

Jedibeeftrix
removing Meego from their mass-market strategy is a stupid, stupid decision!

Explain? From where im sitting it doesn't seem to have done them any good so far and they should have canned the idea long ago.

Shakes head.

I guess that is it for Nokia. I was holding off buying a new phone because I was waiting to see what they would come out with Meego. Instead we will get endless dumbed down and locked down windows phones, which in my view are even worse than iPhones. I guess I will be buying Android, or perhaps a webOS device.

Don't get me wrong, Symbian was weak. It has been showing it's age for years, and should have been scaled back to a supporting role 18 months ago, but on an E-Series phone it is stable, reliable and does not talk down to you. The problem with iOS, and Windows 7, is that in an effort to make them attactive to look at, and easy to use, they leave out features, and settings. Like you can't have more than one app running, or apps have to use a single (strange) UI pardigm.

My other problem with windows 7 OS, is that it is locked down and does not allow side loading of apps or content. After Apple's latest shenegans to try and squeese money from everything that touches their phones. (Sorry, I thought I owned my phone), I don't want a smart phone where the manufactuer has the power of veto over what apps go on my phone.

Symbian has always allowed side loading (untill recently it was the only way to gets apps onto a phone), Android, WebOS, and Maemo also support it. I would still use the offical app store most of the time, but the fact that it is not compusory keeps the phone manufactuers honest, and means that there are no silly restrictions on what apps can appear.

usxhe190
I really don't know why Nokia doesn't make multi handsets for various OSs like HTC does???

If they follow HTC model and just start making good smartphones, they will regain their share market because the Nokia's brand is so much more powerful.

That is what I thought Nokia would do, and I am supprised that they have not. That would have been the best solution. They cold have made and sold some nice Windows phones for people who like that sort of pretty but simplfied and crippled interface, while at the same time maintaing S60 for legacy users, Meego as an ongoing skunkworks project, and S40 for lower end dumb phones.

chrestomanci
That is what I thought Nokia would do, and I am supprised that they have not. That would have been the best solution. They cold have made and sold some nice Windows phones for people who like that sort of pretty but simplfied and crippled interface, while at the same time maintaing S60 for legacy users, Meego as an ongoing skunkworks project, and S40 for lower end dumb phones.

I just look at what the CEO said and it is all crap. They somehow must have got exclusive on WP7 because if they didn't get exclusive, their partnership with Microsoft is so stupid.

Even if they get exclusive, if they want to consumer market, they need huge marketing like Apple does to create the fanboys coz WP7 is like the equivalent of iPhone iOS - restrictive crap.

I kinda hoped they'd pull a partnership with HP out of the bag :(

Nooooooo!

I've been using a Nokia as my main device since 1994 and was going to get a E7, now I won't and I am certainly not interested in dumbed-down WP7.

Looks like my E72 will be my final Nokia…

Biscuit
Explain? From where im sitting it doesn't seem to have done them any good so far and they should have canned the idea long ago.

'long ago' they only got started developing it, now it's reached an end-user stable state and they're canning it, that's what's technically refereed to as pissing money down the drain.

Farewell, Nokia, it was nice while it lasted.

aidanjt
'long ago' they only got started developing it, now it's reached an end-user stable state and they're canning it, that's what's technically refereed to as pissing money down the drain.

Exactly why they should have cancelled it long ago!

TheAnimus
The problem is what does nokia bring to the party, their maps? They have a very good production facillity for low cost hardware I suppose. But are they really able to churn them out for less than HTC or Samsung?

While they probably can't churn out the hardware for less, I doubt they'll be paying WP7 license fees. Taking that in to account they might be able to beat the Asian manufacturers on price while maintaining the high quality feel that their handsets have. That can only be good for the Windows Phone brand image.

Jedibeeftrix
removing Meego from their mass-market strategy is a stupid, stupid decision!

Maybe, maybe not. It all depends if Meego would have succeeded in winning market share or not. The decision over whether or not to run with it was a gamble. If they released it then they'd have to give it time to grow. If it then failed it could potentially have sunk the company, it would have cost them a lot to keep Meego in the market place, keep development going and keep Ovi services online. The route they've chosen certainly has a lower pay off, but a significantly lower risk to go with that.

usxhe190
I really don't know why Nokia doesn't make multi handsets for various OSs like HTC does???

If they follow HTC model and just start making good smartphones, they will regain their share market because the Nokia's brand is so much more powerful.

There's no reason why they can't. The Microsoft deal isn't exclusive, they don't have sole use of Nokia. Right now though I guess they've got enough to handle. They need to get their Meego handset out the door, dissolve Symbian, start work on their contributions to Windows Phone and get some Windows Phone handsets to market.

Why didn't they decide to just be another OEM instead? I'm not sure we'll ever get the exact reasons, but I'm sure Nokia are being paid/compensated for their work on and commitment to Windows Phone 7 for however long it lasts. The focus needs to be on returning to growth and profitability, protecting future market share etc. The Microsoft deal must have made the most sense in this context.

Biscuit
Exactly why they should have cancelled it long ago!

Why? There's nothing wrong with developing a mobile user interface.

aidanjt
Why? There's nothing wrong with developing a mobile user interface.

There is if the larger part of the world doesnt give a crap and your gunna end up canning it anyway. Tell me you didnt see this coming/if it did come it would have been rubbish and failed alongside its competition.

I did

It's not all about Meego. It's about the entire Nokia ecosystem. They've fallen too far behind across the board and don't really have the funds to try catching up (they've got the funds to catch up, but only if the attempt is successful). You can't have a successful smartphone OS without the ecosystem to back it up. Apple have iTunes and MobileMe, Google have… Google, Microsoft have Windows Live and Zune. If you don't have these things you wind up like Palm, you fail to make a real market for yourself and slowly go broke. Nobody quite knows if HP can salvage them yet, but they've certainly got the funds (unlike Nokia) to try.

Biscuit
There is if the larger part of the world doesnt give a crap and your gunna end up canning it anyway. Tell me you didnt see this coming/if it did come it would have been rubbish and failed alongside its competition.

I did

Did I see Nokia hiring a Microsoft stooge as CEO and being turned into Microsoft's mobile arm just as Meego nears market fitness? No, can't say I did see that one coming. Good play on the part of Microsoft.

aidanjt
Did I see Nokia hiring a Microsoft stooge as CEO and being turned into Microsoft's mobile arm just as Meego nears market fitness? No, can't say I did see that one coming. Good play on the part of Microsoft.

No, i dont think anyone really saw that exact move coming. I was reffering more to Meego flumping, it was so obvious. See McPhees post, explains it pretty well.

The problem was Meego was costing a lot of money and going practically no were.

Lots of internal software projects go tits up just because the wrong people are running them, I'd hazard a guess this was happening at Nokia whilst I've not seen any Meego figures, the amount they spent on R&D recently, they've delivered nothing new with it.

So I think the idea of buying one in makes sense.

But as to why they didn't pick Andriod I don't know, Android currently lacks a decent music platform and streaming service. There are too many components which just don't provide a good end to end experience that the iPhone had almost from day 1 (not the streaming bit!). I'm amazed Nokia didn't just go in claiming to be the multimedia platform, maps and music type thing.

Also Nokia have the pockets to really develop their own layer on Android because lets be honest the default UI isn't going to win a customer over.