Nokia exec: Android is like peeing in your pants for warmth

[Emil]

Anssi Vanjoki, Nokia's Executive Vice President of Mobile Solutions, has likened mobile phone makers that adopt Google's mobile operating system to Finnish boys who "pee in their pants" for warmth in the winter, according to The Financial Times. In other words, temporary relief is followed by worse consequences.

Many bloggers and analysts have been crowing that Nokia should give up on its own mobile software solutions (Symbian and Meego) and put Android on its phones instead. As a result, the company would save a lot on Research & Development, letting Google do the majority of the progress on the OS side while Nokia focuses on hardware, software, and services.

Nokia believes Android would be a short solution for a long term problem, but what does that mean exactly? We're not in Vanjoki's head, but it seems he's saying that if Nokia went through with the suggestion, it would end up being just another mobile company competing against other Android OEMs, including Motorola, HTC, Samsung, and LG. The solution, therefore, is for Nokia to make better software to stand out. Nokia has been trying that for a while, but it continues to lose market share, even if it does still have an unmistakable lead worldwide.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/40349-nokia-exec-android-is-like-peeing-in-your-pants-for-warmth.html

 

[Archean]

I think Nokia's insistence to continue developing Symbian does make sense, although the fact is, they have fallen far behind in this area, and I sure do hope they can do some catch up in near future (which unfortunately doesn't seems to be on cards IMHO).

Now consider this, if Nokia too started selling Andriod phones ..... it would be like wearing the same shirt with same color over and over again just with different designer tag. Sounds pretty boring to me ......

 

[vangrat]

In my opinion, the reason Nokia has such a large market share, is that they produce simple, easy to use, no nonsense phones. Granted, I do not like their phones, but that is because I love having a computer in my pocket. However, I can see how people who want nothing but a phone would flock to Nokia, there really isn't another player in the market making such beautiful, but simple, phones.

If Nokia did move to an Android OS, they would lose a large percentage of the people who want nothing but a simple phone. This may be the hidden factor behind Vanjoki's decision, or it may be that he doesn't want another company making the software for the hardware his company has created (not that we can't think of any other companies like this *coughApplecough*).

 

[HaMsTeYr]

Very true Archean, though in terms of advantage, most people go android because it has a large app base, support and what not. I can imagine if Nokia came up with something similar it'd only be bought by elitists.

It sort of seems like a Windows vs Linux game.

While i'm interested to see what Nokia can develop their Symbian into, for starters i doubt if they can get development done in time, before they lose all their market share, and 2ndly if what they develop can even come close to google's offering.

I'll have fun watching this from the sidelines.

 

[fwilliams]

I for one would like to be able to buy a Nokia phone with Android. If they do not produce one I will buy from someone else. They can continue developing there own OS as well, nobody says they have to stop producing Symbian or MeeGo.

 

[isamuelson]

Wow. That will REALLY drive people to purchase your product.

I cannot stand when execs feel they have to say stupid things like this. Sorry, Android is the way to go and that's my next phone when my New Every Two option comes up in the next couple of months.

 

[fish4specs]

I'm one who liked the Nokia simple, small phones. Basic features, compact and good battery life. My latest, 6650, tries to be a semi-smart phone in a small package. It is my first real disappointment with a Nokia. It does neither very well. It's too small to be a very good texter, mobile email or web browser (though all are included) and these features hide the basic phone features behind a complex and difficult menu. Constant accidental application activation is a pain and battery life is drastically decreased. If they're going to make a smart phone, go for it but make it large enough and easy enough to navigate to be useful, if they're going to make simple easy to use, compact phones, leave all that other stuff out.

 

[Guest]

I think Vangrat is right. The idea of a simple phone is a very strong selling point. Not everyone needs a computer in the pocket; especially when that add additional cost to the service bill. All android phone are considered smartphones and service providers force data upgrades to use them. At least Tmobile does.

 

[tengeta]

I'd rather pee in my pants than do what happens in the backside, which is what Nokia has become a pain in.

 

[Guest]

While the analogy is definitely vivid and compelling, <a href="http://truvoipbuzz.com/2010/09/why-nokia-vanjoki-peeing-in-pants-analogy-baseless-not-make-sense-opinion/">I am not sure if it has any merit and sounds completely baseless to me</a>. The underlying assumptions do not stand the test of face validity and can be easily refuted.

To me this is just a reflection of the top management's thought process. Given that, it is not surprising that Nokia is having a tough time in the smart phone space.

Let's hope the new management brings in fresh perspectives and is more open to changes.

 

[Archean]

@Ham
I haven't used symbian phone in a while (last one I used was E65) ....... but I do remember there were lots of applications available for it, so I don't think Nokia will face much issues with regard to applications. It is the experience part which is lacking/or have shown no improvement (e.g. if one installed several applications on it, it could crawl to the speed of a snail), symbian OS is just not what it should be, hence that is why Nokia is having such troublesome times selling those phones.