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Nokia CEO Speaks Out On Google/Motorola Merger – Warns Android’s Partners

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If you needed any more indication that Nokia is shaking in their boots thanks to the recent news of Google’s planned merger with Motorola Mobility, look no further than Stephen Elop’s statement today while speaking at a seminar in Helinski. Seems Mr. Elop isn’t all too happy about the recent news and was nice enough to give Android’s OEM’s this foreboding warning,

“If I happened to be someone who was an Android manufacturer or an operator, or anyone with a stake in that environment, I would be picking up my phone and calling certain executives at Google and say, ‘I see signs of danger ahead.’ The very first reaction I had was very clearly the importance of the third ecosystem and the importance of the partnership that we announced on February 11, it is more clear than ever.”

Apparently, Nokia is still trying to convince everyone that they are still relevant in the mobile landscape. Still, even with Android’s dream team (HTC, Sony Ericsson, LG and Samsung) all voicing their approval for the merger, the eerily uniform statements makes me wonder if they really are on the same page as Google.

Chris Chavez
I've been obsessed with consumer technology for about as long as I can remember, be it video games, photography, or mobile devices. If you can plug it in, I have to own it. Preparing for the day when Android finally becomes self-aware and I get to welcome our new robot overlords.

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50 Comments

  1. Yes, he’s warning the other manufacturers because he’s genuinely concerned for their well-being. He obviously doesn’t want to see any of them suffer any setbacks that might result in Nokia recovering their huge market-share losses.

  2. hmmmm. Didn’t Nokia just partner with Microsoft? “I see signs of danger ahead”

    1. And Nokia has even happily admitted that they will be getting free reign to customize WP7, while the other manufacturers won’t get that. So much for being treated equally.

      Add that to the fact that Android helps them sell like 50 million units per quarter now, while WP7 only 2 million or so. And they have to pay $10 for the privilege as well.

    2. Yes, Noika did indeed sign up with Microsoft for assisted suicide.

  3. This merger will greatly help all of the Android OEM’s.

    However, it seems extremely suspicious how all of the Android OEM’s CEOs had an extremely similar comment regarding their approval of the merger.

    1. Google communicated with their OEMs about the merger right away and the OEMs seem to have all copied Google’s explanation, that’s all.

      1. Exactly. If you’re spending $12.5B, you don’t leave PR to chance. Google supplied talking points to all the OEMs and they used them.

  4. Obviously, he isnt too happy about people not getting interested in Nokia phones anymore, the americans are looking forward to get a MotoGoog phone instead of MicroKia now, buahahaha…

  5. Thats because, there will be protected by Motorola patents indirectly.

    1. Bingo, Very good. Of course Android OEMs are happy about this. This entire ordeal was about patents; the better Android itself is protected, the less attacks for them. Sure they should be somewhat cautious from a hardware front, but as long as Android stays open source I don’t see much changing.

  6. I’m sure the other OEMs in Android’s camp are concerned by Moto’s acquisition. No doubt they will be wondering whether they’ll be treated like “2nd class citizens” by Google from now on.

    But, to every single tech blog that’s saying these OEMs will now strongly consider jumping ship to (or at least devoting more time into developing for) WP7: let’s not forget that the unique and extremely strong deal between Nokia and Microsoft means that these OEMs will definitely be 2nd class citizens in the WP7 ecosystem as well.

    1. The average consumer would not know an official android phone from any other android phone. Hell, most of us buy non-Nexus phones anyways. I truly don’t see Google leveraging the Motorala phones to be some “best of the best” android phone. Simply put, it was all about patents … If anything else comes of this, it will be faster OS updates to consumers … since HTC, Smasung, and others will be have to keep up with Google phone updates schedules to stay competitive.

  7. he is an Ex- MS employee, what else you expect from him ? he will FLOP

  8. Instead of Nokia talking about their phones why don’t they just launch them already? They haven’t released a competitive smartphone in the US at all the past two years.

  9. Why does Elop keep talking like Nokia doesnt have a special relationship with MS about customizing WP7 compared to the other manufactures?

    Wtf is this guy smoking?

    1. What the F is he suppose to say? Holly cow! We’re in deep sht? No! Anyone who would find themselves in Elop’s position, one that has nothing to gain from this merger, would try to spin things in their favor. If it works, great! If not, nothing’s lost. MS won’t buy Nokia because of one simple fact: the Finnish govt still has a strong word in it, and no govt official in their right mind would sell a company that’s providing tens of thousands(if not more) working places for their countrymen.

  10. How you gonna warn other manufacturers about Google/Motorola but Microsoft is only allowing Nokia to change things to WP7. Stop talking BS.

  11. Kinda ironic, the other day I wrote an article on how Nokia should branch out and embrace Android.

    1. I think they’re WP7 phones look pretty sick. Would love to see one of those rockin’ Android.

      Stupid Nokia.

  12. He’s gonna be really pissed when NOKIA fails. Android is running circle’s around any mobile device out there.

  13. Elop is running scared that WP will fail.

    If it does, Elop will go down as one of the worst fiasco CEOs to take over the reigns of a world class giant.

    Android is still on a steam-roller. Now it’s even patent protected against MS and Apple.

    Now the manufacturers can tell Google to stop competing with Moto phones, or the manufacturers will walk.

    What can Google do except obey?

    No, the manufacturers on the Google eco-system won on this one.

    They got patent protection for Android usage nearly for free and now they can dictate to Google what it can do with Motorola mobile phone hw business (or else)…

    Google can’t go it alone. Not yet. Not for another 2-3 years.

    1. I’m pretty sure Google will say, “screw you” if any of the other manufacturers want to try to blackmail them. The manufacturer would be losing money if they walked out on Google, and the manufacturers that stick with Google will just pick up the slack, which means even more profit for Google because Motorola would be selling more phones.

    2. Google could go alone and do what apple and palm/hp do where they work to integrate the hardware and software to make a phone that works seamlessly.

  14. Hey Elop, the other OEMs actually like it because it’ll help them against your frivolous lawsuits. You need to pick up the phone, call yourself and say, “I see signs of danger ahead”

  15. there’s an inherant danger i think and it does seem too good to be true. but google said theyre going to be operating it as a “separate company” and im sure these are the proper procedures that need to be in place so things dont get corrupted. i mean, google wants this stuff to succeed, theyre not going to go power crazy and screw everything up – it just wouldnt suit their goal. and if they do go nuts android is already open source and the cancer can only spread so much.

    1. Yeah but what would danger could happen?? google release a moto nexus device that is not going to stir anything up…manufacturers will be doing what they have been doing for the past couple of years continue making phones and making money…I just dont see the danger at all…These companies are making too much money from android to even consider going elsewhere….What platform will they go to there is no other one that will make them the money their making now

      1. Agree I mean with that logic every nexus would make the carriers who didnt build it want to look for a new os. This makes the carriers want to 1 up the nexus and every other phone and that is why we have such great selection of android phones today.

  16. Im stil wondering Chris about them similar quotes too.

  17. a failing company trying to survive… with scary words!!!

  18. Elop in Helinski? Where are you posting from, Chris? San Franssinco? :p

  19. Who the hell is Stephen Elop and what the hell is a Nokia??

    Droid X.

  20. It makes me sad that nokia, a company I used to like, is now microsoft’s bitch.

  21. Nokia who???????

  22. Whole lot of talking you doing there Nokia.
    “We don’t believe you, you need more people.”
    Nobody cares, you ole instigating looking ass losers.

  23. This guy is a dolt. If he was the visionary that he thinks he is, then his company wouldn’t be in the mess that it is in right now.

    1. Dude, this guy had his hands at the helm for only a few months. A behemoth such as Nokia cannot change over night. I think that choosing WP7 is the only logical choice at the time. This doesn’t mean that Nokia will be WP7 exclusive. They may adopt Android too in the future.

      1. He’s been at the helm for nearly a year (starting September 21, 2010).
        Nokia once held the enviable position of having the best hardware in the industry, but their “behemoth” attitude caused them to stick to dead end technologies far too long. They are now in the position of rapidly becoming irrelevant because of that same “behemoth” mentality. If they want to stay in the game it will require retooling the company to be more nimble and able to respond much more quickly to newly released technology “AND” making sure that the decisions they make are the right ones. I’m not sure picking WP7 was the right decision (I hope it was for their sake), but it’s a decision that arguably should have been made quite some time ago.
        His comments about the Google acquisition to me just came across as “Sour Grapes.” If Nokia had jumped on the Android bandwagon at the start it would be wonderful to see the hardware that they could have been putting out by now.

  24. Nokia, I am just ready for you to release some hardware(you too Samsung) for Windows Phone 7 with Mango OS already on it so i can drop my SEx play and Droid Charge

    Stop worrying about google/moto deal and hurry it up with your devices please.
    Thanks

    Carmen

  25. people are dumb android is making money therefore samsung, htc, lg, and whoever else there is….is making money…Therefor who cares what this dude thinks because last time i checked he ran his company into the ground and made a horrible choice with windows phone….Microsoft is still making more money on android then their own platform nuff said….And these companies all benefit from these patents…So if companies like to make money and be protected by patents then I see no reason for danger…I speak one language and that is the truth

  26. C’mon. He’s right.

    Chavez wrote, “even with Android’s dream team (HTC, Sony Ericsson, LG and Samsung) all voicing their approval for the merger,” Seriously, what else would they say?! Didn’t find it odd that every manufacturer using Android responded with EXACTLY the same statement? I bet every one of them is looking for a backup OS. They’re all for profit companies people. Every move is to increase their stock price, not to benefit you. I guarantee if market research showed that banning sale of their product to phone geeks they would. (hmmm? locked bootloaders) Elop is expressing what all those companies must be thinking.

    Further, all those so-called partners also have to be afraid of the patents Google acquired. You think that doesn’t give Google power to dictate to them? You think Google won’t use them for that? “Hey Samsung, that new product you’re coming out with, it has some infringements on our patent X, but we’ll over look it if you make Google the only _____ accessible with it.”

    I’m always amazed at the attitude here. People seem to believe we are actually on the Google team. You’re only on the team if you own their stock–a lot of it. Don’t wed yourselves to a corporation people, it makes you like Apple-istas, and almost always ends in divorce and acrimony.

    1. The OEM’s are making more money off of google since it is free to use where as they have to pay MS a fee to put wp7 on phones. Maybe you just crawled out from under your rock but android has taken off and is making these companies lots of profits. Just look at articles put on this site saying how htc,samsung,etc revenue increased and mostly due to android. Why waste resources on something that isnt selling well and you have to pay for when you can use android, not pay to put it on and make more money? It’s common sense its all about the $$$$. wp7 has been abandoned by MS hence why you see no advertising and I have yet to see 1 person with a wp7.

      1. “Maybe you just crawled out from under your rock” Yes, and the daylight offered here hurts my eyes. I have been so blind in my ignorance. Thanks for enlightening me. About that…

        “Just look at articles put on this site”.

        Well it’s definitive then, because this is the site with all the real info on the inner business workings of HTC, Samsung et al. The tiny paragraphs taken from hearsay, from another site’s previous hearsay, of a Sanjay Jha or other CEO’s rumor/marketing statements, they are always true. Deep analysis in 200 words or less. Marketing heralded as information. Jeez.

        In the the distant past, MS killed Netscape buy offering IE for free. Today Google is killing Blackberry and hurting Nokia by offering Android for free. BUT who is to know the future? Who is to say MS, HP, Oracle, BB or another company or group we don’t even know of–two kids in a basement maybe–won’t offer an excellent free alternative? A profitable alternative. No company likes being beholden to another for all their profits, not matter what. It’s simple bad business, all eggs in the same basket and all that.

        In many spheres Google is viewed as the behemoth that MS was, but coupled with the fanaticism of Apple. That makes its’ “partners” nervous. Just as many on this site say they would never buy an Apple product because of their distaste for the company, many feel the same way about Google. Step into the sunlight, you’d be surprised what you see.

        I pledge no allegiance to any corporation or product, I use what works for me–as do many under rock dwellers. Currently for me that is Android. For others it might be iOS or BB. So what, just adds to the patent lawsuit pool.

        Oh, and on the contrary, rather than living under a rock, (or basement, or single subject website) I’m up on the hilltop looking out for the changes that may come–way in the future, not the next 3 month processor/screen res cycle. Yay, Bionic…no Vigor….no Diablo….no Pegasus…no……….

        Good day to you too.

        1. so earnings calls aren’t to be taken for fact? Ok Mr. high on the hill maybe high from hitting the pipe to many times.

          1. Thanks for your thoughts Chris. Your post reflects deep analysis and a stellar understanding of the subject. A classic, classy and original response. I am truly beholden to you for clearing up my erroneous thoughts. The pipe fog around me is thick, and can affect clarity. I knew I should have taken up cigars. Oh, you don’t mean that type of pipe do you? Well, you know, under the rock and all that.

            So, I’m sure what you say is true. There is no history of manipulation of numbers by corporations to reflect a particular outcome. Suggestion of this is pure myth. AIG, Lehman Brothers, etc, clearly their financial reports prior to their demise was accurate. By those standards, Apple is the most successful company in the world with the best products ever.

            I’ve truly appreciated our little Tete-a- tete. Very educational.

  27. Another news story about Android where this clown sees the need to comment. We are sorry your company is irrelevant… No on second thought; Your platform is still burning.

  28. Funny he is saying that when MS is giving them special treatment and alienating the other OEM’s. Then again who cares as shown by the poor wp7 sales. Obviously MS doesn’t since they will make more money off of android then their own shitty OS

  29. i personally think samsung and htc are not looking towards WP7, they already are there, they released some phones, and they didn’t sell. put yourselves on HTC/Samsung’s place… “do i go android and sell 5 million phone or do i go WP7 and sell 0.5 million”, seems like there’s an easy answer, doesn’t it?

  30. Hey Elop, take you obsolete handsets and sit in the corner with the other failures.
    Oh you already did? Good. Now face the wall and stfu. Thanks.

  31. What’s a Nokia?

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