Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Mobile
  3. News

Nokia confirms commitment to Windows Phone, but is asking “what’s next?”

By

nokia-plan-to-move-forward-stephen-elop-steve-ballmerNokia CEO Stephen Elop gave an interview in which he was reported to say, “Today we’re engaged and satisfied with Microsoft, but anything is possible,” in response to a question regarding the company’s possible adoption of the Google Android operating system. The statement has seen renewed speculation that Nokia’s relationship with Microsoft is in doubt, and the Finnish firm is looking in Android’s direction for the future.

The interview was with the Spanish website El Pais, but according to TechCrunch Europe, Elop’s words were run through a translator before publication, meaning some of the English reports may have been translations of the translations – resulting in a high-tech game of Chinese whispers.

Recommended Videos

Nokia has now provided an accurate – or at least, properly vetted – version of Elop’s quote, which goes like this, “In the current war on ecosystems, we are fighting with Windows Phone… Now what we’re always doing is asking, how does that evolve? What’s next?… What role does Android or other things play in the future? We’re looking further into the future, but in terms of what we’re bringing to market, and what we’re immediately focused on, we’re focused on Windows Phone.”

Related

This has an obviously different emphasis to the translated text, and although it’s clear Nokia isn’t sure its relationship with Microsoft will last forever, there’s no real discussion of Android being the next thing on its list. And indeed, why should it be? Nokia has rejected Android already, and as we’ve seen over the last few weeks, there are several interesting new mobile operating systems about to hit the market over the coming months. Perhaps seeing how not only Windows Phone, but also software such as Ubuntu for Mobile and Jolla’s Sailfish, start to play out is a wise decision.

This is the second time in as many months that Nokia has been attached to Android, after a job posting for an embedded Linux software engineer sparked rumors the company was exploring Google’s operating system. It turned out Nokia was recruiting for developers to work on its cross-platform Here Maps app.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Andy Boxall
Andy Boxall
Senior Mobile Writer
Andy is a Senior Writer at Digital Trends, where he concentrates on mobile technology, a subject he has written about for…
Here are all the confirmed Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 phones, but where’s Samsung?
A reference phone with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 branding on the screen.

In late 2021, Qualcomm unveiled the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 smartphone processor, the successor to the Snapdragon 888 chip found in many top smartphones throughout 2021. The chip is notable not only for its immense power and new nomenclature, but also for what it means to the future of smartphone photography.

We're pretty excited about the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 and expect you are, too, so when will we get the chance to try one out in a new phone? Unsurprisingly, manufacturers are keen to let us know about upcoming phones with the processor inside, and several companies have already announced devices that use the  Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, but surprisingly, Samsung continues to maintain silence over its plans with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip.

Read more
HMD Global shows its serious about U.S. expansion with 5 new Nokia phones
HMD Global's range of new Nokia phones at CES 2022.

HMD Global has big plans for the U.S. market, and at CES 2022 it has revealed a new range of devices that cost less than $250, all coming out over the next months. Buoyed by LG and ZTE both leaving the U.S., it has struck lucrative deals with T-Mobile, Tracfone, Verizon, and other carriers to supply Nokia phones on pre-paid contracts, including low-cost feature phones.

To help achieve its ambitious targets in the U.S. for the coming year -- it's targeting number one in feature phones, and number three in pre-paid smartphones -- it has announced five new U.S. exclusive phones that will arrive during the first six months of the year. Top of the list is an affordable 5G phone, followed by three 4G phones, and a new feature phone with Kai OS software onboard.

Read more
How to use Link to Windows to connect your Samsung or Surface Duo phone to a PC
Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus Link to Windows Screen

Thanks to efforts from the biggest smartphone manufacturers in the world, the gap between smartphones and computers has grown ever smaller. These days, you can get a desktop-like experience by booting up your iPad or by plugging your Samsung or Huawei phone into a spare monitor. But efforts to bridge the gap between phones and computers haven't begun and ended with the desktop-like DeX mode, and if you own a compatible Samsung or Microsoft smartphone, you can use Link to Windows to connect your phone and your computer.

Read more