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A job posting to Nokia’s LinkedIn page is stirring the pot once again on speculation that Nokia could turn to Android to save their handset business. But wait, didn’t they already turn to Windows Phone for that?
The job listing seeks a qualified principle software engineer to “oversee the development of embedded Linux device software and hardware drivers for our exciting new products.” While that certainly sounds like it could have something to do with Android — Google’s mobile OS is based on the Linux kernel — there is little reason to actually believe this is the direction Nokia is headed.
Exhibit A: Nokia’s recent efforts show nothing less than an all-in approach with Microsoft’s Windows Phone. Just look at the recently launched line of the manufacturer’s Lumia phones. As our friends over at WinSource point out, perhaps Nokia feels a little snubbed by Microsoft and HTC’s partnership for the Windows Phone 8X, but would that really motivate the company to switch to or take on a second smartphone platform?
Which brings me to Exhibit B: Nokia’s history of stubborn resistance to the Android OS. You might recall a certain exec once said that switching to Android to save their smartphone business would be the equivalent of a young boy peeing his pants for warmth. As a short-term strategy it sounds like it could work, but it isn’t a sustained solution. Or that was Nokia’s sentiment at the time.
That statement dates back two years, so perhaps Nokia’s view has changed since then. Android, at least, has proven to be more than a flash in the pan. Do we still dream of a smartphone that beautifully marries Nokia’s design and hardware with the Android OS? Sure. Does a single job listing suggest this could soon be a reality? That’s doubtful.
The only thing attractive about Nokia is their imaging and mapping products. I would jump with joy if my Nexus 4 phone had the PureView camera.
its absolutely gorgeous that camera on their phones. and yea i have an N4 i had to download an app to make the picture quality better.
and their hardware is pretty nice… no more plastic everywhere.
Um..polycarbonate is plastic, too. Just a different kind. And if you want polycarbonate so bad with Android, get the One X.
Nokia (or RIM) could have absolutely *owned* the Android experience, if they had any vision at all. It was clear years ago that Android would be overtaking iOS on handsets — well before Nokia chose to partner with a non-existant Windows OS, and RIM decided to do whatever it is they’ve been doing.
With all their resources, they could likely have even removed Google from the equation! Amazing lack of forethought.
>and RIM decided to do whatever it is they’ve been doing.
You mean, working on Blackberry 10?
I could be wrong, but I think he was more referring to their squandering their market dominance and loyal customer base.
RIM will be used in business classes for years for what not to do with a massively popular gigantic tech company. It’s just sad.
Meh. At this point, I have 0 interest in a Nokia phone, android or otherwise. They’ve shot themselves in the foot, and I’ll just stick with someone who’s proven themselves to be dedicated to the Openness of the OS.
“The job posting you are looking for is no longer active.” ;)
Maybe Nokia is finally ready to pee its pants :) Or at the very least eat its words.
“Anssi Vanjoki, outgoing head of Nokia’s smartphone division, likens mobile phone makers that adopt Google’s software to Finnish boys who”pee in their pants” for warmth in the winter. Temporary relief is followed by an even worse predicament.”
I’m guessing this is the face Nokia execs are going to make to Microsoft?
android? sounds more like meego related things to me. or perhaps they are hiring for sailfish related. “embedded Linux device software and hardware drivers” doesn’t relate to android much since we are talking about Nokia, which have their own Linux’s mobile os.
Great point. They’ve been doing linux mobile for a long time and did a pretty good job.
I would have a loved a Nokia phone. They look so cool. But then there was Sony, but who’s heard of a Sony phone getting Jellybean. But then that’s only if that phone has the developer support. So I can go to HTC. But they’re bootloader fiasco. Grr!! So now I’m stuck with Samsung. Nothing wrong with them, I just think their phones have generic designs.
P.S. I know I just completely skipped Motorola. I didn’t feel like continuing my comment.
And LG.
Samsung is superior enough compared to the others that if they quit Android we could see a shift in the market place. I have the gnexus and my daughter just bought an s2 and I have to say it feels nicer for some reason. My samsung tablet 10.1 feels better than my asus pad infinity. Where does the feeling come from? I think it comes from great displays and great ui additions.
You have an asus infinity and you prefer samsung? The infinity has the great display (better then 1080p and wayyy brighter than anything else on the market), and almost no ui additions, which most android fans are crazy about. I guess to each their own. Wanna sell your asus? ;]
Please never say “Samsung” and “great UI” in the same sentence. They take an amazing stock Android experience and mutilate it into some Frankenstein iOS/Windows XP look-alike.
They are looking for android developers for their Here maps app….
The job listing “closed” 12 minutes (or less) after this article was posted. Maybe it was a ruse to get people talking about Nokia…
It makes sense to me, why have all your eggs in one basket? Apparently the guy who said that about Android is gone now, so maybe the new guy sees the benefit of making multiplatform phones. Works for HTC.
and samsung, sony, lg, etc
This could be for another Meego phone. I always thought they had promise, I would probably be more interested in them relighting the Meego torch.
TBH I REALLY like the Windows P8 style – the square straight lines are gorgeous – everything that I wished for in the galaxy s3.
So instead they chose to piss into the wind. If you are a manufacturer and not a software company then Android makes sense. I thought Nokia was a manufacturer unlike RIM.
The reason Nokia went with WP is because Elop is from Microsoft, plain and simple. It’s natural that he had a bias for the OS put out by his previous employer, but it’s not doing Nokia any favors.
So what is it that they dislike so much about Android ? the fact that it evolves constantly ?
they are just stupid and .
I think there’s room in Android for Nokia. Build them as nice as their Windows phones and Samsung (and HTC) may have a true competitor.
There’s not just room for Nokia, there’s a chance for a seat at the head of the table. Nokia builds some of the highest quality phones available, they just lack a mature ecosystem.
You mean they used to 10 years ago. They would have to up their game a lot to get to the head of the table, and if their current products are any indication they are incapable of that.
I doubt they’ll jump into the Android game – don’t want to deal with the Apple lawsuits.
Nokia has such a vast patent portfolio Apple wouldn’t dare attack them directly.
I really hope they dont move to android with their current CEO with his Microsoft-ish attitudes!
i hate the way they over hype the Lumia like they did with the Lumia 900 last year, and the way they use bots to vote for the Lumia on GSMarena and to lower other phones is really childish, i hate that nokia share holders left that Microsoft employee infiltrate their company and become CEO just to make it fall for Microsoft! this is really sad as nokia was once a great company, which unfortuntly was super duper greedy even more than apple now but still made great phones :/
pure view on an Android. Yes please!
With out malice, I’ll never own a Nokia, until it uses Android as the OS.
I won’t buy a Nokia Android smartphone, cause they do that same unibody crap that HTC does with the non-user accessible batteries.
Nokia has successfully squandered multiple chances of staging a comeback. They would have been a much better company than HP to gobble up Palm. I think Nokia could have successfully made WebOS into a major player.
Then, because their CEO came from Microsoft they hedged their bets on the unproven WP claiming it offered them more differentiation. Now HTC is selling WP devices that ape Nokia’s designs and HTC is getting more support from Microsoft.
If they had went with Android they could have continued to offer their unique services (mainly maps) and their fantastic hardware on a platform that’s actually relevant. Instead of apologizing to Lumia buyers about them not getting WP8, their fate would have been in their own hands.
I would say the position would be for Nokia’s Meltemi OS for low-end smartphones…if it weren’t for the fact that Nokia cancelled its release in the first place!