Why Nokia Chose Windows Phone Over Android

The long wait for a Nokia Android phone

For years, Android fans wondered whether Nokia would ever build an Android phone. The Lumia series had attractive hardware, but Windows Phone was not an operating system that crowds were rushing to buy. Nokia’s leadership repeatedly said the company would stay with Windows. Many people assumed that was because the chief executive had previously worked at Microsoft.

The explanation: Samsung

The chief executive eventually gave a direct reason. Nokia expected that a single maker could take over the Android market, which is what Samsung went on to do, and Nokia thought it would struggle to stay competitive in that situation. Many shoppers already treated Android and Samsung Galaxy as nearly the same thing, and some other Android makers were having financial trouble in Samsung’s shadow.

The carrier angle

There was a second reason. LG, HTC, Sony and Samsung all sold Android phones to carriers. Nokia offered a different operating system, and carriers like to stock more than one platform. That gave Nokia a stronger position in negotiations as the leading Windows Phone maker.

The author’s view

The original writer understood the logic but did not fully agree. Nokia was still one of the best-known phone brands in the world, and its design work and cameras could have set it apart on Android. In the author’s opinion, Nokia would have been better off, and the Android market more balanced, with two top players.