
It's official. Dismissed as a silly rumour by many, Nokia and Micorsoft have just announced a very comprehensive partnership
in which Windows Phone 7 will become Nokia's prime smartphone platform. It goes a lot deeper than that, though.
Update: Qt will not be available for Windows Phone 7. Qt will remain the development platform for MeeGo and Symbian.
Update II: During its Capital Market Day event, Elop confirmed Nokia will not make a comprehensive MeeGo product line. It will be a platform to learn from, but it won't become a competitive platform.
Update III: Android was not an option because it would be difficult to differentiate there.
Update IV: There will be 'substantial reductions in employment' in Finland and around the world. Also, before I forget, thanks Engadget
for the live-blogging where I get this stuff from!
Member since:
2008-12-09
And the why I think it's bad.
Nokia hardware is nice - yes. It's also expensive.
Look at the N8, I'd rather get a Galaxy S AND a separate camera for that sort of price, thank you very much.
So if I want WP7, what are the odds that I end up with an HTC phone (which are ALREADY shipping)? High. Very. High.
Nokia software is bad - yes. Promises of improved browser on the N8.. it is still not there, and might never be.
Promises of improved Maemo.. they trashed the idea, started a merge (Meego), did not finish it, probably never will - thanksfully Intel might, but ...
Promises of QT "all-around" compatible or easily portable code. GONE. It's like giving the finger to their fellow developers before they could even really start to ship applications they did start to code.
What Nokia becomes here, is Microsoft's puppet. +1 hardware maker with WP7.
I wouldn't be surprised if the new Nokia CEO got some money under the table for that one - maybe even before he left Microsoft (!)
Edited 2011-02-11 10:52 UTC