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Microsoft to release Android-powered Nokia X2 handset

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Re: Microsoft to release Android-powered Nokia X2 handset

#51

Post by lucozade »

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…

My completely uneducated guess is that you won't be able to remove the Windows services. The reason being that Microsoft haven't so much produced an Android phone as a low end Windows mobile services phone. That seems quite a sensible strategy. Oh and we haven't adopted the Euro as its current parents still appear to want it even though it's caused no end of trouble in its teen years.

Re: Microsoft to release Android-powered Nokia X2 handset

#52

Post by lucaspiller »

tyrionaura wrote: post #4

Earlier Nokia X handsets did actually run Android too, so this move isn't that much unexpected.

I'm not sure how this differs from them as it has exactly the same interface. Unless it comes with Google Play?

I've got a dual SIM version of the Nokia X and it's about as bad as you imagine it to be. Side loading Google Play helped, but it's still not great. The Moto G is a much better investment.

Re: Microsoft to release Android-powered Nokia X2 handset

#53

Post by ddeck »

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…

In addition, adopting the Euro would mean giving up independent monetary policy. Unilateral monetary policy across regions with disparate economic performance can be very problematic.

Consider the case of Hong Kong, which has effectively adopted the US dollar (pegged in 1983). Despite the fact the economy has been growing strongly and inflation is running around 4-5%, interest rates are near zero, as dictated by the Fed.

As a result, fixed asset prices have soared, with residential real estate rising 100% over the last five years.

Those that own assets benefit and everyone else gets screwed as asset price changes feed into cost of living without wage growth to compensate. No surprise then that HK has the most unequal income distribution in the developed world. [1]

This also works the other way. So as others have pointed out, until there is a proper fiscal union (which I certainly can't see in the foreseeable future), the decision to not adopt the Euro seems wise.

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_income_equ...

Re: Microsoft to release Android-powered Nokia X2 handset

#54

Post by aikah »

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.

Can one still load apks ? though ? I wonder.And is there a specific sdk for this phone?

Re: Microsoft to release Android-powered Nokia X2 handset

#55

Post by DCKing »

higherpurpose wrote: post #44
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…

Moto E has roughly the same specs (some better, some worse): http://www.gsmarena.com/motorola_moto_e_dual_sim-6323.php Just because you're not looking, doesn't mean they don't exist.

> Just because you're not looking, doesn't mean they don't exist.

Did I say really say that? And was that jab really necessary?

I'm well aware of the Moto E. It's definitely a competitor to this phone, but it's likely more expensive.

Re: Microsoft to release Android-powered Nokia X2 handset

#56

Post by pritambaral »

anko wrote: post #48
retejo wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

Why do you want to be able to hack your phone? I would think you'd want your communications device to not be flakey.

You mistakenly equate "hacking" with "making flakey".

Re: Microsoft to release Android-powered Nokia X2 handset

#57

Post by aikah »

stinos wrote: post #27
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).

I doubt they are burying it, I rather assume they are just going to continue with it - and I think this phone is an indicator of a business strategy to simply expand, not only by using android but also by using the name 'Nokia' which still means a lot.

> I doubt they are burying it, I rather assume they are just going to continue with it

I'd love to agree but still it hurts ,when one looks at the specs,dont you think?and if that phone is really successfull, what's next? this phone obviously cant run Windows Phone apps,so why did I get all these IDEs and Sdks on windows to produce apps for Windows Phone? I'd like MS to make it clear what is the strategy here.

Re: Microsoft to release Android-powered Nokia X2 handset

#58

Post by spinchange »

It seems like Microsoft and Amazon are not getting the real benefit of this platform by excluding the Google Play store from their versions of the Android experience. I guess it's understandable why they're doing that, it's just bad for users.

Are there some kind of licensing terms that prevent them from shipping forks like this with the Google Play store as one of two app stores available? Would they have to make the all the Google apps 'first class' citizens just to allow users the ability to install any of them ala carte?

Re: Microsoft to release Android-powered Nokia X2 handset

#59

Post by wfjackson »

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.

It's a Nokia phone, not a Microsoft phone. It takes an average of 18 months to bring a phone to market. The Nokia acquisition was completed just two months ago, and the teams must be fairly independent right now. While the Nokia acquisition was being completed, Nokia was legally required to act as if the acquisition would fail.

China approved the Nokia acquisition only on April 8, what would have happened if they didn't? Without an Android strategy, Nokia would be left without any momentum for atleast a year in a fast moving market. Remember how FTC denied AT&T and Tmobile's merger?

The only interesting thing here is that Microsoft didn't immediately kill the X2 and lay off Nokia's Android team. They could do that anytime or sell that division to some other company. There would be a lot of people at MS calling for its head. The headline, story and most of the comments seem to be implying that it's Microsoft that conceived and implemented this idea which is wrong.

Re: Microsoft to release Android-powered Nokia X2 handset

#60

Post by amrrs »

higherpurpose wrote: post #45
pmelendez wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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

Which makes Microsoft's strategy all the more confusing. At least if they decided to use a fork of Android for sub-$100 devices, then it would be one thing. But they're mixing it up with no clear vision. The only reason they are continuing to make them is because they got a lot of press for it, because a lot of people wanted "Lumia with real Android" - and most tech sites thought: "Not Lumia...and with a bad clone of…

Yes. No strategy at all. They want to sell everything. Just Sales figures? That qualifying factor won't let them survive in market for a long time. They need Strategy. If WP is their vision, they should just stick to it. Launching forked Android might be okay for Amazon, but for MSFT, if they keep on doing this and that too at this low cost, they are marketing for Google!
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