Following yesterday’s Nokia announcements yesterday, the first images of the collaboration between both Nokia and Microsoft have surfaced, suggesting that the move to Windows Phone 7 was already in the works before Friday’s announcement. The renders also represent Nokia’s desire to keep its identity while also offering Microsoft a chance to showcase Windows Phone 7 in markets where Microsoft typically had no presence for its smartphone operating systems.
In related news, the move to Windows Phone 7 apparently came as a complete surprise to MeeGo partner Intel with this prepared statement, found at the read more link.
“By now you’ve probably heard that today, Nokia announced a new relationship with Windows focused around handsets and Windows 7. While Nokia mentioned they will still participate in the MeeGo ecosystem and ship a MeeGo-based product this year, they outlined a primary strategy strongly aligned with Microsoft.
Although Nokia has been an important partner to Intel and MeeGo and we are disappointed by this decision, it’s important to know that this is by no means the end of MeeGo or the end to Intel’s commitment and the continued progress MeeGo has made and is making to the multi-device ecosystem. Our strategy has always been to provide choice when it comes to operating systems. MeeGo is one of those choices. We support a port of choice strategy that includes Windows, Android, and MeeGo. This is not changing.
There is a solid value proposition for an open source OS that crosses different devices. End users want a consistent experience across all of their devices. MeeGo is a great solution to deliver that single experience. MeeGo is not just a phone OS, it supports multiple devices. It is already shipping and we’re seeing early momentum across multiple segments today, including automotive systems, netbooks, tablets, and set-top boxes.
We look forward to Mobile World Congress next week in Barcelona, where Intel will outline its mobile strategy and have announcements around our mobile platforms and strategy.â€
Additionally, more information has surfaced suggesting that Nokia dedicated few of its own resources to MeeGo, with the revelation that Nokia outsourced the latest user interface design for MeeGo to a third-party company instead of assigning its own engineers and the rejection of its first MeeGo device by local European carriers has further worried Intel, as it was looking towards Nokia to assist with the hardware engineering for its series of mobile platforms for future integration into mobile devices.
Where is the differentiation that Nokia CEO Elop was raving on about?
You see more differentiation with Android interfaces than this. It is a complete farce that Elop has destroyed Nokia by betting its entire future on Microsoft’s failed mobile platforms.
agreed.
1. i think that phone looks awesome. looks are subjective and you can’t use them to declare whether something will sell or not
2. wp7 hasn’t failed yet, and most likely wont. it’s gotten 8000 apps in the 3 month span since launch. just because it didnt’ selll out in every store the second it was available doesn’t mean it’s a failure. remember the g1?
3. stop sucking steve jobs ****
I doubt the differentiation Elop mentioned would be in these concept photos.
What was likely referred to is that Nokia will be able to break some of the very-rigid rules that Windows Phone manufacturers must now conform to. HTC Sense on WP7 is an example of the rules being bent for HTC to bring some of their pervasive experience over to their WP7 devices.
I suspect Nokia will be allowed to go much deeper than HTC Sense on WP7. Nokia likely negotiated the ability to rewrite major parts of the user experience, as well as first-strike at getting WP7 into low-end and feature phone devices.
MS should maintain tight control over WP7 UI. Google letting OEM’s skin Android leads to a non-uniform experience for the user. Being a Nexus One owner I can tell you that vanilla Android is better than any OEM skin. If the user wants to add more or different functionality to the OS than that is what the app store is for.
Mobile OS developers, ie: MS, Google, HP/WebOS should develop, maintain and mature their platforms by continually supporting and adding features.
Mobile OS developers should be the only pushing updates to phones running their OS!
OEM’s should produce fantastic, cutting-edge high quality hardware across multiple price points. OEM’s selling points should be high quality hardware that will last and not be two generations outdated in three months.
Carriers should build and maintain rock solid networks that offer the best possible voice signal and data speeds in their service area. That said, if they do that and price their plans and features fair, consumers will seek them out for their high level of service and value for their money.
I recognize this is a fantasy world I describe, but….. wouldn’t it be nice if someday it existed.