Microsoft Windows 8 plans leave Nokia hamstrung

[milomak]

Dozens of partners had to know about the Surface for months and months in advance. Parts don't design and assemble themselves! Really surprising the MS kept it secret from the media and public so long - the whole industry seems so leaky these days, I can't remember last time an Apple product, known for their secrecy, was launched without a few parts having been leaked by partners.

Maybe it's controlled leaks.

 

[kingrob]

Dozens of partners had to know about the Surface for months and months in advance. Parts don't design and assemble themselves! Really surprising the MS kept it secret from the media and public so long - the whole industry seems so leaky these days, I can't remember last time an Apple product, known for their secrecy, was launched without a few parts having been leaked by partners.

Surface was actually designed and built in a Microsoft top secret "bunker", I think it's in the video they showed during Surface's announcement.

I highly doubt it if anyone knew anything about it & maybe the reason Acer is so cheesed-off.

 

[Mouse]

Wow how anyone can not read Arthurs posts and see the logic in them is odd.

I see flawed logic in his posts, for example:

It would instantly switch Nokia to being a hardware-focused company with little or no ability to differentiate itself in the eco-system and software.

HTC managed to go the Android route and differentiate themselves with software, so why not Nokia? It's not as if only WP7 offers them the ability to make something unique. That entire "box shifter" argument is on this straw man idea, and it is false.

Nokia has chosen specifically not to compete with Far Eastern manufacturers, but rather to leverage FE manufacturing and spend a lot more energy on software, eco-system & design aspects and also the carrier and channel relationships that are almost as important in driving volume into the market.

They could have done the same thing with Android, and they've moved over to using high volume manufacturers in the East anyway so the whole "can't compete with high volume Eastern manufacturing argument" would have been mitigated

So the New Nokia has to look into the 'softer' side, and make its bets there. It also means they can draw on traditional European (and American strengths) in design, software and 'value add' rather than on low-cost manufacturing.

Again, why can't this be done with Android?

Had Nokia "done the sensible thing and chosen Android" it would have delivered the company and its future into Samsung's hands. Within 24 months it would be a gaunt shadow of its former self - all the design, software and value-add people would have melted away

That's happening with them going the WP7 route, and they've fired all the design, software and value add people. At least with Android they would have been selling hardware with their own software layer on an ecosystem that people actually want.

So why not do both WP and Android? Get the volume with Android, and use the cash and time to build WP at the smartphone/value-add end? We can be certain this was discussed and analysed to death inside Nokia. In the end they decided to not be a company that hedges its bets and goes with the flow/LCD, but to resolutely focus on building something for the longer term. That requires dedication, focus, and ... commitment. Not everyone might agree with their decision, but we can all admire the fact that they made a clear decision and committed everything. It's a big and risky bet, and it can only succeed if the company isn't also distracted by the short-term money that would come from an Android volume-spurt, because that would pull them back into the direction they can never survive long-term: another generic Android box-shifter.

There was nothing stopping them from using Android to return to profitability while also pursuing their WP7 route. It would have been the safest option, and it would have allowed consumers to show Nokia with their purchases where the company should go.

 

[undesign]

Well, at the moment they're making more money from iPhones than Android phones with Google Search, but I'm sure that will change in the near future.

Yes Eric. Six months. We know.

 

[ToxicBunny]

I see flawed logic in his posts, for example:

Of course there is flawed logic, or logic you don't agree with is probably more accurate.

HTC managed to go the Android route and differentiate themselves with software, so why not Nokia? It's not as if only WP7 offers them the ability to make something unique. That entire "box shifter" argument is on this straw man idea, and it is false.

Are they really different? They offer Android phones, they're no more special than Samsung or LG really....

They could have done the same thing with Android, and they've moved over to using high volume manufacturers in the East anyway so the whole "can't compete with high volume Eastern manufacturing argument" would have been mitigated

Using high volume subcontracted manufacturers is not the same as Samsung who do the whole vertical integration thing to a level that is insane. Samsung own the manufacturing plants, the R&D, the distribution, etc etc...

Again, why can't this be done with Android?

Because Android is just Android, and there are lots of Android phones on the market... Nokia would have to go to extreme lengths to make their offering stand out to the level thats required on Android.

That's happening with them going the WP7 route, and they've fired all the design, software and value add people. At least with Android they would have been selling hardware with their own software layer on an ecosystem that people actually want.

Really? they've fired all the design, software and value add people? So then who made the software for the WP, and who designed the Lumia's (which are damn sexy phones). The fact that Nokia can't keep up with the demand for the hardware indicates that people DO want the WP ecosystem.

There was nothing stopping them from using Android to return to profitability while also pursuing their WP7 route. It would have been the safest option, and it would have allowed consumers to show Nokia with their purchases where the company should go.

[/QUOTE]

Of course there was nothing stopping them, but you'll find from a business perspective it would have resulted in considerably lower profitability... yes they may not come right with WP, but if they do you will see a MUCH more profitable Nokia than you would if the company hedged its bets.

 

[ToxicBunny]

Dozens of partners had to know about the Surface for months and months in advance. Parts don't design and assemble themselves! Really surprising the MS kept it secret from the media and public so long - the whole industry seems so leaky these days, I can't remember last time an Apple product, known for their secrecy, was launched without a few parts having been leaked by partners.

Microsoft are really good at not letting supply partners figure out the direction they're going with something.

Yes, MS releasing a tablet was an easy guess once we all saw Windows 8.... but exactly what that tablet would look like, they're good at keeping suppliers in the dark so no single leak can point definitively to a product.

You will also find most companies allow controlled leaks to build up Hype... Apple do this, MS do this, Google does this... its standard practice.

 

[xera]

yoh. fail of the day...

yep.... this is bad for nokia