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Microsoft to release Android-powered Nokia X2 handset

bbc.com

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Re: Microsoft to release Android-powered Nokia X2 handset

#31

Post by morganvachon »

higherpurpose wrote: post #7

This has even fewer apps than WP8, let alone the "real" Android. I don't see why anyone would want this.

I don't know why you're being modded down, you're exactly right. Just like the Ovi Store on Symbian, the Nokia Store offers a fraction of the apps that Play, Microsoft App Store, and even the Amazon App Store offer.

As for why people would want this, it's actually good hardware for the price, and if it's ever rooted and flashed with a full Android ROM with Play support, it would end up being a nice phone overall.

Re: Microsoft to release Android-powered Nokia X2 handset

#32

Post by Nux »

mseebach wrote: post #14
higherpurpose wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Nokia doesn't belong to Microsoft. Nokia's phone division belongs to Microsoft. I imagine the actual Nokia company will begin selling Android phones in a couple of years again, too, so you can't call these "Nokia phones". They are Microsoft phones now.

Nokia can't market mobile phones under the Nokia brand until 2016. Also, the company Nokia doesn't own a phone division anymore, they'll have to build one, if not from scratch, then pretty close to. That mean they don't have any competitive advantage over pretty much any other company in a similar situation. Never mind that they really, really struggled to compete in the smartphone market - that's why they offloaded…

I'd like to see Nokia back in business (used their phones all my life), but it indeed looks quite unlikely.

Re: Microsoft to release Android-powered Nokia X2 handset

#33

Post by dm2 »

richardwhiuk wrote: post #22
dm2 wrote: post #17

"It will cost 99 euro ($135; £80) when released in July." Is that the price with a 2-year contract or is this going to be a great value phone? Will I be able to wipe this phone and install stock Android? Skype, Outlook, Bing, and all that other MS crap is unwanted. I'm actually a MS supporter and understand the need for them to create all of those services but I personally don't/won't use them. Also, why are UK citiz…

Why are the US against adopting the Euro? I'm only partially joking there. The Euro has had large amounts of turmoil in the past three years which has involved large bailouts of some countries. The inevitable path appears to be closer alignment of fiscal policy (including taxation and public spending) which is sovereignty that the UK public is opposed to giving up. There's a strong anti-EU sentiment in the UK with a…

That makes sense. It was a real question I had, I have no opinion of the matter.

I guess the UK sees itself as having a more stable economy that other European Union countries, so it would benefit from having a separate currency (but the other countries would be hurt by not having a very strong country adopt the euro).

Re: Microsoft to release Android-powered Nokia X2 handset

#35

Post by NicoJuicy »

morganvachon wrote: post #18
DCKing wrote: post #15

Microsoft releases a phone running Android, Microsoft releases hardware running Linux, pigs are flying and hell is freezing over etc etc. The real news is that this is not just an Android phone, it's a really good Android phone. It has a front facing camera, a decent SoC, enough RAM, what appears to be an IPS display (according to some sources), likely very decent build quality, and a price that is likely to dip belo…

Except it doesn't have the Google Play store or Play Services, so it's not going to appeal to the usual Android user. As someone who uses Windows Phone, I keep scratching my head wondering why Microsoft even bothers.

This could hurt manufacturers, who produce Android smartphones. If MS produces the phone in a low-budget segment and with decent quality. Manufacturers could consider WP with a higher profit margin, but that's my first guess.

My second would be hurting Google by not providing their services as default, while increasing traffic to their own cloud services.

My third guess would be increasing their global smartphone marketshare by entering the Android market and it's massive apps marketplace.

And a fourth guess, if 200.000 app makers enter the Nokia store, they could easily email all of them to consider converting their app to the WP market... With some clever subsidizing in place (eg. 0% cut the first 6 months, instead of the default 30%), it could increase the WP Apps quantity in a very short period.

Re: Microsoft to release Android-powered Nokia X2 handset

#37

Post by ZeroGravitas »

mseebach wrote: post #14
higherpurpose wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Nokia doesn't belong to Microsoft. Nokia's phone division belongs to Microsoft. I imagine the actual Nokia company will begin selling Android phones in a couple of years again, too, so you can't call these "Nokia phones". They are Microsoft phones now.

Nokia can't market mobile phones under the Nokia brand until 2016. Also, the company Nokia doesn't own a phone division anymore, they'll have to build one, if not from scratch, then pretty close to. That mean they don't have any competitive advantage over pretty much any other company in a similar situation. Never mind that they really, really struggled to compete in the smartphone market - that's why they offloaded…

I wouldn't be surprised if they licensed the name out to some up and coming Chinese corporation with a difficult for English speakers to pronounce name.

Re: Microsoft to release Android-powered Nokia X2 handset

#38

Post by morganvachon »

retejo wrote: post #20
skrebbel wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

20 times this. Sounds like they're already burying Windows Phone (which would really suck, since it's way better than Android IMO, especially since 8.1).

Hmm, just wondering. Why do you think windows phone is better than android? Android is easy to hack about with, custom roms, the source is open and out there (most of it anyway)and generally has great usibility.

For me, it's because Windows Phone is more task-oriented than app-oriented. There's a "flow" to the interface that just jives with my way of working on mobile.

To be sure, Android is more powerful in many ways, but with my Windows phone I can do all the same things I did on Android: SSH into my servers, VNC to support clients, etc. I'm missing a few games and novelty apps, but I don't use my phone as a gaming platform or toy, I use it to get work done.

And even on a fairly modern Android phone running JB, I've more than once had the same old issue I've always had on Android: If a call comes in when it's low on free RAM, there is simply no way to answer as the screen doesn't respond to taps. This has been the case on every Android phone I've used since 1.5 on a Motorola Cliq. Android is great when you need a mobile computer, but not so much when you need a mission critical device.

Re: Microsoft to release Android-powered Nokia X2 handset

#39

Post by pmelendez »

amrrs wrote: post #24
DCKing wrote: post #15

Microsoft releases a phone running Android, Microsoft releases hardware running Linux, pigs are flying and hell is freezing over etc etc. The real news is that this is not just an Android phone, it's a really good Android phone. It has a front facing camera, a decent SoC, enough RAM, what appears to be an IPS display (according to some sources), likely very decent build quality, and a price that is likely to dip belo…

so people see Tiles and Cost - same Tiles but cheap cost - Chuck WP phones and go with X devices :P

I am not sure about that. I have seen several examples where the WP is way cheaper than the X alternative

Re: Microsoft to release Android-powered Nokia X2 handset

#40

Post by mantraxC »

Oh, Jesus, this looks like the unfortunate result of a Windows Phone and an Android phone in a teleporter accident.

Many here are cheering as if this is good somehow, because Microsoft is open and what not. But look at it. It looks like Windows Phone, but is an Android phone. It exists to confuse customers.

What is the supposed end game here? "Hey, buy this and if you like it, we'll make you abandon all your Android apps, and switch to real Windows phone - because the home screen tiles look similar"?

I don't think so.

This project is more the result of a slow-moving corporate behemoth that started this project way before Microsoft announced it's buying Nokia. It was too late to turn that giant ship in time, I guess, so enjoy your mutant monster.

By the way, the startup sound is Ripley whispering "Kill me" in your ear.

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