If you’ve been following smartphone news from some non-Android sources, you probably know that Nokia’s Lumia 900 has made quite the splash over on AT&T. But apparently it’s not doing so hot across the pond: reports out of European cell carriers say that their retail staff can’t make a case for other Lumia phones like the 710 and the 800. Why? It’s the software, of course – Nokia’s gone full Windows Phone 7 with their smartphone line, something that’s a hard sell for European customers expecting Android.
Reuters spoke with one executive who wished to remain anonymous and came away with this answer:
“No one comes into the store and asks for a Windows phone… If the Lumia with the same hardware came with Android in it and not Windows, it would be much easier to sell.”
As someone who’s done some extensive testing on the Lumia 900, I can say that it’s a great phone and a fine operating system. The stability and general user interface actually beats Android, at least in my opinion. There are two things that might turn potential customers off: a modified UI that works more like the Zune than the typical “grid” layout that smartphones have been using since the first Treo (not that the UI is bad, it just takes some getting used to), and an overwhelming lack of third-party apps.
Nokia’s always made solid hardware, and we’re sure that carriers weren’t the only one disappointed when they decided to go Windows over Android over a year ago. A few high-spirited attempts have been made to do it for them, but for the time being it looks like the company isn’t interested in other operating systems. More’s the pity, for customers, operators, and most of all for Nokia.
[via DroidDog]
I owned a HD7 for six months. Windows phone pretty much sucks in most ways, except it’s camera software. I really loved it’s camera ability and Supertube(3rd party YouTube app). Other than those it was missing an official Google Voice client, it’s visual voicemail would not play over the earpiece, browser sucked, lack of official Dropbox or box.net clients. I was happy to see it go. For fractions of seconds at a time I’ll miss it. But after that faction of a second I remember how I hated it and then I’m glad it’s gone again…
The Android is lusting too much on Nokia. It will never happen. Android/Nokia will not blend. Look at the screen above how ugly Android is in N9. Of course, they only released mid-range phones and they do not expect to topple iPhones/Androids right away. They have great products aligned when Windows 8 arrives and it’s only a matter of timing. Right now they are just picking up steam with their Lumia 900 release. Stay tuned. They are there for a long haul. So, critics, better break off building castles in air.
Windows is dead but people just don’t realize it. Android will eventually take over PCs and Servers. It’s only a matter of time. Nokia is visionless. They had an open mobile system long before Apple. I saw their forums where everybody was asking Nokia to offer phone capability on their pocket web tablets but never delivered so Apple came in and the rest is history… and they still don’t get it. Lame!
NOKIA is TOAST
Hear hear, the minute Nokia didn’t have something as trivial as Angry Birds I jumped ship to Android and never looked back. And when they announced the Windows thing I just laughed and laughed and laughed. Nokia used to be my flagship. I’d buy the best one every few months.
Silly Nokia. You go with who’s trendy, not with poor dear sad old Windows.
Nokia Lumia 900 ATT Smart Phone Review
LOL! A “Smart Phone” with no data is definitely a “Dumb Phone”