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Although I’m an Android user I’ve had a good play around with Windows Phone 7 and have been extremely impressed with Microsoft’s new OS. Sure it’s missing some features but overall it looks stylish, is easy to use and in general just works. I prefer Android for the opportunities that it offers for customisation but then I’m not really the type of user is MS is targeting with WP7.
The biggest problem that I think WP7 currently has is visibility. I was talking to my less geeky mates at the pub the other night and none of them had a clue about it. MS has a great product which I think many people would love but they just haven’t managed to get it out there.
This is where Nokia comes in. With the world’s biggest handset maker pushing WP7 as it’s primary smartphone platform the chances its success have just greatly increased. In 6 months time everyone should know exactly what WP7 is about and how good it really is.
It could also be the perfect solution for Nokia. I’ve lost count of the number of N8 reviews I’ve read that concluded with “great hardware, shame about the software”. The prospect of a great OS running on Nokia hardware has to be an exciting prospect for many. I know I’d love to see both Nokia and MS reverse their recent fortunes and really prosper once more in the mobile space.
So what do you think? Is this a great chance at redemption for two fallen/falling giants or too little too late to stop a decline that has been years in the making?
I personally think this is a good match and should result in some great handsets
I think this is going to be great for both companies and for consumers. Nokia does make good hardware, the Nokia N95 was groundbreaking, for a few months I have the 5800 which I enjoyed using to an extent but the software was not up to standard. Couple this with WP7 and its really going to get interesting in the smartphone world. I currently use an LG Optimus 7 and love it, Microsoft are doing a fantastic job with the OS and I think it really will challenge the likesof iOS and Android with the right exposure. On a side note I had a Palm Pre for a very short time and WebOS is amazing, the battery only lasted 6 hours so the handset was useless but now that HP are bringing out better hardware I think maybe WebOS might grab some market share.
I personally don’t like Nokia, and don’t trust WP7, but I curiously look forward to the marriage, and believe it’s a very good idea from both companies. Good luck Nokia and Microsoft!
If there were any doubt about Microsoft becoming a real player in the market with iOS and Android, I think that doubt has just disappeared!
This is great for Microsoft, Nokia, and for competition in the Smartphone hardware and software markets.
This is great news – as Kurt said, Windows Phone just needs exposure to really take off. I love my HTC Mozart but I could by tempted by a Nokia 12-Megapixel super-phone!
Really? A good thing for either company? honestly? on the one hand there is Nokia, losing market share and trust for churning out crummy software ever since the N95 (not to mention their reluctance to switch to capacitive screen to appease asian markets) and MS on the other that may have sold phones to retailers but not onto consumers. Don’t forget, Samsung, LG, HTC have been making the new Windows phones, and even their name cant carry these darned things out of the stores and into peoples hands… and they expect a company with even less product trust to be able to do so? Don’t bet your hard earned on it chaps.
Agree, two franchises effectively killed! The market doesn’t lie, check out their stocks. Nokia chose wrongly. How can they say that Android wouldn’t have differentiated them enough? Haven’t they seen HTC sense or Mblur? Apple will be rubbing their hands and I feel sorry for those Nokia employees. I would have bought my first Nokia had they gone down the Android route. One reads good things about WP7 on this website but, Nokia are talking about transition in 2012! We’ll be on Android 5 and iPhone 6 by then. Already you can see the trickling of late updates for cut and paste on WP7.
Whilst the sentimentalists may welcome this tie-up the reality is it wont work because of the timing of MS WP7s’ emergence. They know a thing or two about technology in the stock market.