Microsoft hints there’s no need for it to build own Windows Phone, has tons of control over Nokia

posted by Victor H. / Mar 22, 2013, 10:31 AM

Microsoft hints there’s no need for it to build own Windows Phone, has tons of control over Nokia

The rumor about Microsoft building a Windows Phone to launch in the future might sound terrifying to its exclusive partner, Nokia, but luckily it seems that it’s not very likely to be true.

When asked about his thoughts on the lack of a Microsoft Windows Phone device, Casey McGee, Microsoft's senior marketing manager for WP, said:

“We enjoy having the variety that we do. We are so close to the process that it feels like our child too. Especially with Nokia."

Take it as what you want, but it seems Microsoft is not upset that it does not have a phone like it has the Surface tablet or an Xbox.

"Our relationship is so close we get hardware early and we have some say in how these things are designed. For an engineer or a designer it might feel a little bit different, but I think for people working with the developers and talking broadly about the phone I am very happy with the relationship and the ability to influence what they are doing."

This should make it less likely for Microsoft to release such a device in the future, don’t you think?

source: Pocket-lint

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53 Comments

1. Whateverman

Posts: 3295; Member since: May 17, 2009

Wow! That doesn't sound complimentary at all. I would imagine the CEO of the Nokia would be slightly offended by this (but I still think Elop is a mole for M$ so he probably isn't). My feeling is, Microsoft needs Nokia...a whole bunch more than Nokia needs M$. Nokia could have go with Android and made a killing but they went in a different direction. Now when you think WP, 90% a Nokia device comes to mind. Without Nokia, WP wouldn't be where it is now IMHO.

posted on Mar 22, 2013, 10:40 AM 29

26. Nathan_ingx

Posts: 4769; Member since: Mar 07, 2012

I got your drift and i agree...it should've been the other way round.

posted on Mar 22, 2013, 12:30 PM 8

31. windroid unregistered

You don’t see the invented sentence "has tons of control over Nokia" in the transcribed text. Unfortunately PA journalist is a bad professional and transforms its own opinion into a fact.

posted on Mar 22, 2013, 2:07 PM 8

36. KingShango

Posts: 89; Member since: May 16, 2012

I don't understand why everyone thinks Nokia would make money if they made android phones. Report after report shows that Samsung is the only company that makes money with android. HTC, Moto, Sony and LG all lose money or take tiny profits. Elop made the right decision, WP may be off to a slow start but MS realizes that the future of computing is mobile and they're not going to give up and have tons of resources to be in long term.

posted on Mar 22, 2013, 2:27 PM 0

40. Whateverman

Posts: 3295; Member since: May 17, 2009

We say they would money because we would buy the phones. Samsung is the only one making money because of advertising and brand recognition. And they made the Galaxy S available on every carrier, whereas HTC, Motorola, LG, and Sony are all still trying to make exclusivity work. Also, these companies are doing very little when it comes innovating beyond Android. Look at all the "S" features that Samsung has built into TouchWiz, compared to the very useful yet meager contributions like Moto's Smart actions, HTC's Blink feed, Optimus' landscape ability and... I don't what Sony offers because they don't make devices for VZW. Now look at what Nokia is doing to build WP... How could we NOT want an OEM with a reputation for putting out THE BEST HARDWARE to build one for Android users?

posted on Mar 22, 2013, 5:07 PM 2

44. KingShango

Posts: 89; Member since: May 16, 2012

I still think that Elop made the right decision. 1.) Nokia isn't a massive conglomerate like Samsung. They can't afford to spend $400m on marketing globally. Also it means they don't have the leverage with carriers to get rid of exclusivity, hence the 810 on T-Mob, 820 on At&t and 822 on Verizon. 2.) Most of their in-house products would have to compete directly with Googles efforts. Specifically Maps but also Drive and CityLens etc. On WP they are featured products that get showcased. 3.) Finally, right now MS basically pays Nokia to use WP and it also pays for a huge chunk of marketing. They'd never get that kind of deal from Google. Nokia could be just another OEM in a crowded field with Android or they could be the premier manufacturer for a small but growing platform. Elop made the best deal for Nokia.

posted on Mar 22, 2013, 5:57 PM 3

45. TROLL

Posts: 4851; Member since: Apr 13, 2012

It's been 3 years there's no big or any slight changes of sales! Look at Sony in 6 months they've reached n3!

posted on Mar 22, 2013, 6:02 PM 1

49. Whateverman

Posts: 3295; Member since: May 17, 2009

+1 All valid points! I think going with WP was a good decision too, but it was after a few bad ones had already taken place. Nokia had one really huge thing going for them... They're NOKIA! They were the top dogs in the mobile industry but just like everyone else, they underestimated the impact that the iPhone would have. And Android just wasn't on their radar at all it seems They had the hardware, the code writers, and the clout to stay relevant, but like Blackberry they waited to long to reinvent themselves and now M$ has them by the nads. They wanted to become the premier WP manufacturer and they are. But it could have been a much easier task if they had a cash cow device bringing in some extra revenue. To ignore Android is to write off 60+% of the market, so it comes down to are they happy with that 7-8% share or is it finally time to give millions of Android fans what they want?

posted on Mar 22, 2013, 9:16 PM 2

53. DigitalJedi_X2

Posts: 346; Member since: Jan 30, 2012

You must not know how Nokia used to be to make statements like that. 1. Nokia(before Elop) used to be bigger than Samsung, and Apple combined! This was even after mismanagement from their former managers, and right when Elop first took over. Had they went Android then, Nokia and Samsung would have been duking it out for the #1 spot. 2. The beauty of Google and Android is that you can use your own products and they still get top billing. You need look no further than Samsung right now to see proof of this. Nokia had a built in user base. Their products would have had downloads in the millions. Android was the closest thing to Symbian. Far closer than WP. This is why WP is doing so poorly now. Symbian users jumped ship when Nokia switched to WP. Most would have stayed had they switched to Android. Plus, with Android, Nokia would have had complete control over the hardware and software. The look and the feel of the device. Not so with WP. But since the Nokia board got the billion dollar payoff, then Ballmer's boy Elop took over and brought over a bunch of other MS employees, Nokia has been MS's plaything since then. 3. Nokia PAYS MS to use WP. So that money that MS is putting into Nokia... Is going RIGHT BACK to MS. Look, back when Symbian and Nokia ruled the roost, and MS was pushing Windows MOBILE, Nokia was the biggest threat to MS. Ballmer never forgot this and when he saw that Nokia was in trouble, he swooped in and effectively "killed off" his #1 competitor. His mistake was thinking loyal Symbian users would all jump ship to WP. Its obvious that almost none of them did. Hence WP being so low on the totem poll now. They'll end up being maybe the 5-7th ecosystem. Android will remain the #1 and iOS #2. Blackberry is already the third ecosystem and will remain so.

posted on Mar 23, 2013, 10:44 AM 4

54. KingShango

Posts: 89; Member since: May 16, 2012

First, whatever Nokia was before Elop took over is irrelevent. They've been on a sharp decline since 2008 so the company he took over was a shell of it's former self. And they still weren't looking at Android they were going with MeeGo. If someone else took over they still probably wouldn't be making Android phones. Second, even if they had switched to Android they're is still no guarantee all their "loyal" customer would've stuck with them. Would all those "loyal" customers have stuck with them if they'd switched to MeeGo? Third, it's been reported on this site that Nokia gets alot more money from MS than it pays back. I didn't see Google willing to swoop in with a bag of money. This fantasy that Nokia would be some juggernaut tech company if they'd only switched to Android is ridiculous. It's only been 2 years since they announced the partnership with MS and only about 14 months since they launched the first Windows phone. If WP hasn't gained any traction a year from now they may be in trouble but either way Elop made the best decision he could.

posted on Mar 23, 2013, 3:34 PM 0

55. TROLL

Posts: 4851; Member since: Apr 13, 2012

Well said totally agree+1™

posted on Mar 23, 2013, 9:05 PM 0

46. TROLL

Posts: 4851; Member since: Apr 13, 2012

They never was and didn't ever like high end spec hardwares on there phones!

posted on Mar 22, 2013, 6:05 PM 0

52. ILikeBubbles

Posts: 525; Member since: Jan 17, 2011

oh what i wouldn't do to get android on a nokia 920 or similar....

posted on Mar 23, 2013, 10:23 AM 1

2. yvesyves

Posts: 2; Member since: Mar 22, 2013

if microsoft create their own smartphone and dissed nokia, android + nokia will kill them..

posted on Mar 22, 2013, 10:41 AM 13

27. tusshharish

Posts: 342; Member since: Oct 23, 2012

that's the trust on nokia ..............

posted on Mar 22, 2013, 1:25 PM 1

30. Feanor

Posts: 1365; Member since: Jun 20, 2012

Correct. I think if Microsoft makes a Surface phone, it will take a huge marke share from Nokia; Nokia -who need every single customer they can get- will be forced to leave the platform and then other manufacturers will stop supporting the platform, because they will see that it doesn't gain traction (and they will have to compete with Microsoft hardware) and the entire platform will sink. I think Microsoft is cleverer than this and they will not shoot themselves in the foot.

posted on Mar 22, 2013, 2:05 PM 5

3. xperiaDROID

Posts: 5629; Member since: Mar 08, 2013

(SIGH) Ok guys, there's no more hope for Nokia + Android! :'(

posted on Mar 22, 2013, 10:42 AM 15

15. jcpwn2004

Posts: 314; Member since: Jan 18, 2012

exactly what I thought when I saw the title. This has to be why we haven't seen an android phone built by nokia. I would buy that in a heartbeat.

posted on Mar 22, 2013, 11:28 AM 4

17. xperiaDROID

Posts: 5629; Member since: Mar 08, 2013

Yup, me too!

posted on Mar 22, 2013, 11:32 AM 1

28. tigermcm

Posts: 861; Member since: Sep 02, 2009

all this nokia+android crap.......nokia wouldn't have gone far with android. There are 50 million OEMs for android with Samsung at the top Nokia would have drowned in a sea of androids

posted on Mar 22, 2013, 1:56 PM 3

4. Sangeet

Posts: 232; Member since: Apr 21, 2012

I always knew Stephen Elop is more like an agent of Microsoft, ever since Elop tool over, Nokia is going down an behaving like another branch of Microsoft rather than being own company, Nokia's next step ---->> Metro UI in Asha!! :(

posted on Mar 22, 2013, 10:43 AM 4

11. Diego!

Posts: 871; Member since: Jun 15, 2009

I totally agree with you.

posted on Mar 22, 2013, 11:10 AM 2

5. Muzhhur

Posts: 261; Member since: Sep 14, 2012

Well, its sound just for now, I donot belive Microsoft will burn their key partner soon

posted on Mar 22, 2013, 10:44 AM 2

6. yvesyves

Posts: 2; Member since: Mar 22, 2013

Nokia should create their Own OS now sigh., im pretty sure Nokia developers are better than MS developers.

posted on Mar 22, 2013, 10:46 AM 5

7. asingha94

Posts: 295; Member since: Apr 08, 2012

Now nokia will do what samsuck & htc had not been able to do in windows phone history!!

posted on Mar 22, 2013, 10:46 AM 8

8. InspectorGadget80 unregistered

That's why you guys aren't making sales with ur OS MOTOROLA/SONY/LG isn't even making any WINDOWS device now SAMSUNG stop making it

posted on Mar 22, 2013, 10:50 AM 4

9. Diego!

Posts: 871; Member since: Jun 15, 2009

That's right, they have a Troyan Horse there... Hello Elop!

posted on Mar 22, 2013, 11:09 AM 2

10. StreetNerd

Posts: 870; Member since: Dec 08, 2010

i like elop 007 style :D

posted on Mar 22, 2013, 11:09 AM 3

12. exsymbian

Posts: 6; Member since: Mar 22, 2013

RIP Nokia.

posted on Mar 22, 2013, 11:15 AM 1

13. cornerofthemoon

Posts: 620; Member since: Apr 20, 2010

Nokia will probably be the only WP vendor in the next couple of years considering that the sales for the other WP vendors have been less than stellar. HTC and Samsung could be doing great with the platform with they weren't so half assed about it. For all practical purposes, WP will essentially morph into the Nokia OS.

posted on Mar 22, 2013, 11:17 AM 3

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