Nokia executive Anssi Vanjoki has heard all the chatter about pundits suggesting the world’s largest handset maker should ditch Symbian and MeeGo in favor of Android and he thinks that’s a bad idea. In fact, you might say he’s pissed at the idea.
The outspoken Nokia executive said using Android would be like the Finnish boys who peed their pants for warmth – it would provide momentary relief but there would be bigger problems down the road.
Nokia is going to make a big push with the open source Symbian and the upcoming MeeGo platforms, so you can expect a few shots at the competition but Nokia isn’t the first one to suggest that Android may not be as beneficial as it appears.
Microsoft recently said that even though you have to pay for its Windows Phone 7 OS, it may wind up costing less than Android in the long run. The Windows maker intimated that Android could be vulnerable to patent lawsuits and other quibbles. I’m not totally in agreement with that but at least with Microsoft you know that they’re just trying to make money by selling the software, whereas Google’s mobile monetizing model is a bit more nebulous (it likely will involve advertising).
Vanjoki is no stranger to frank talk, as he has publicly said that the N97 didn’t provide a great user experience. I once had the pleasure of having dinner with the man and he told me that WiMax will be the BetaMax of its time.
Vanjoki also doesn’t have to worry about offending the higher-ups at Nokia for much longer, as he has already announced that he will be leaving the company in about six months. Vanjoki is the smartphone leader and many thought he was gunning for the CEO spot which went to Stephen Elop.
[Via Financial Times (subscription require), Engadget]