Nokia CEO says he doesn't regret choosing Windows Phone Platform

In an interview last week, Elop, Nokia CEO Elop, insisted on not regretting the choice of Windows Phone platform, the Beijing time said July 15. In the Android ecosystem, he said, the stakes were too high for Nokia to give up on Android.

It is always interesting to find out why Nokia did not choose the Android platform when it decided to abandon its Symbian smartphone operating system later in 2010. It is reported that Nokia did discuss this idea with Google, but ultimately did not put into practice. In February 2011, a moment after Nokia and Microsoft announced that they would collaborate on the development of Windows Phone smartphones, Gundotra, Google executive Vick Gondotra, wrote on Twitter that "two turkeys are not a hawk".

Last week, at a round table attended by the Guardian and other European newspaper reporters, Elop responded directly to the issue. When asked whether he regretted having not chosen Android as the operating platform for Nokia smartphones, Mr Elop gave a negative answer.

"I'm very pleased with the decision we made," Elop said. What we were worried about a few years ago is that a hardware vendor is too risky to dominate the Android platform. Given the relative resources and vertical integration capabilities, we've been speculating about who might be the manufacturer. We respect the fact that it is too late for us to make this decision, when many manufacturers have embraced the Android platform. ”

"We'll take a look at the Android ecosystem today and find that many vendors have introduced a lot of best-of-breed Android devices, but one company has largely ruled the Android ecosystem," he added. ”

Mr Elop also said that the development of alternative operating systems would give Nokia a crucial role in negotiating with mobile operators: "Strategically providing alternative operating systems plays an important role in our negotiations with At&t CEO Lalf Delaviga (Ralph de la Vega)." The first step in the negotiations is to make them realize that we are not Apple or Samsung or other Android companies. We are the third largest ecosystem. ”

"As operators, they want to negotiate with different people, exert pressure on everyone, and have a range of best choices." So they need the third largest ecosystem. Strategically, we have the opportunity to collaborate with at&t and every other operator in the world, because we are building a third ecosystem and are walking on this path. ”

"The situation is really challenging now because we are playing the role of a challenger," he said. We have to win this honor (the world's third-largest ecosystem), and by working with operators like At&t, we are gaining attention from outside. Making alliances with Microsoft is the right decision. You can look at the Android device makers and they're having a hard time. ”

Whether Windows Phone can beat the BlackBerry to become the world's third-largest ecosystem after iOS and Android, as Elop said, will be unveiled in Thursday, when Nokia will release its second-quarter earnings, which will include data on the shipments of Windows Phone handsets.

In the latest quarter up to the end of May, BlackBerry shipments were 6.8 million, and Windows Phone will be on the third-largest ecosystem if the number of Nokia Windows phone shipments exceeds that. Analysts expect Nokia's Windows Phone handsets to be shipped between 7 million and 8 million in the second quarter. While Windows Phone 8 sales will one day overtake BlackBerry 10 handsets, the number of BlackBerry users worldwide is now 75 million, and all Windows Phone handsets have only about 30 million shipments.

For those curious about why Nokia doesn't choose the Android platform, Elop's reasoning is clear: he and his team believe that because of its manufacturing capabilities and its history in the Mobile World, Samsung is well prepared to dominate the Android platform, leaving no room for other manufacturers.

Perhaps there is some truth in Nokia's choice. It turns out that while HTC One, the latest flagship smartphone, has been well received, its revenues have continued to slide. Of course, whether this is the right decision is not yet a definitive answer, but at least we now know why Nokia made such a decision.