Nokia X and X+ announced, runs Android apps

[Windows Central]

Nokia X and X+ have just been announced by the Finnish handset maker at their Mobile World Congress 2014 press conference. The devices are the first Nokia handsets to run Android, although it is a forked version of the operating system. Nokia X and X+ is aimed at emerging markets and is partly powered by Nokia and Microsoft services. Think of these as an extension of Asha and not so much a threat to Window Phone. Details below.

Full story from the WPCentral blog...

 

[Zacharyw70]

One thing that looked really disappointing with Nokia X is how nice the UI looked. Fast lane seems like a nice idea, and I like how it had a notification center. Why doesn't or didn't Windows 8 have those features? Why is Microsoft okay with them releasing what appears to be a more detailed and feature packed forked OS over WP8?

Also one thing I don't understand is their target with these phones. If people buy them like them, and then decide to go for the more "Premium" Lumia line-up what happens when they find out that WP8 doesn't support open source app stores so they can't get a lot of the apps they've been using. Are they just hoping everyone decides to move their apps to WP8 by then?

Overall I'm surprised I think the Nokia X looks like a fantastic phone, the UI looks great and it runs Android Apps which is awesome, I'm just worried that while it will help them gain that low cost market, I don't think it'll increase the higher end WP adoption.

 

[N_LaRUE]

One thing that looked really disappointing with Nokia X is how nice the UI looked. Fast lane seems like a nice idea, and I like how it had a notification center. Why doesn't or didn't Windows 8 have those features? Why is Microsoft okay with them releasing what appears to be a more detailed and feature packed forked OS over WP8?

Also one thing I don't understand is their target with these phones. If people buy them like them, and then decide to go for the more "Premium" Lumia line-up what happens when they find out that WP8 doesn't support open source app stores so they can't get a lot of the apps they've been using. Are they just hoping everyone decides to move their apps to WP8 by then?

Overall I'm surprised I think the Nokia X looks like a fantastic phone, the UI looks great and it runs Android Apps which is awesome, I'm just worried that while it will help them gain that low cost market, I don't think it'll increase the higher end WP adoption.

Let's be clear here. This is a Nokia device. Setup prior to MS buying Nokia. Obviously MS sees the use of something like this but with WP8.1 coming out I fail to see the need personally. At the price points indicated they're still not that cheap.

Also if you heard the presentation, the idea is to push the cost of Lumia phones down over time with the X series becoming even cheaper. With the release of WP8.1 it will catch up to Android and iOS.

You'll also know that if you watched the presentation that Google Play won't be available. Saying that I can see this being changed with some tweaking on the part of hackers.

Lastly, I think the interface is hideous. I guess we'll see what the general public thinks. I get the feeling we'll hear calls of WP failure in amongst the review of the X.

 

[bilzkh]

To be fair ... there may be some emerging markets where Windows Phone and Lumia aren't doing well, e.g. China. I'll give Nokia some credit and assume that the focus of its X phones will *not* be in the markets where Lumia is doing well, e.g. Europe. Anyways, the Nokia X-series are as generic as they come from a hardware standpoint, it would be interesting to see if Microsoft could boot up Windows Phone 8.1 on these devices and make the process available to consumers. If not, then perhaps transition 2nd generation X/X+/XL devices towards Windows Phone 8.1.

 

[Greywolf1967]

Be clear on this.....all these phones are for markets where there is growth. Africa, Asia, parts of Europe. 2G/3G models some with wifi.

The phones are going for first feature phone, first smartphone users.

I do see phones like these becoming great Unlocked import devices.

 

[inteller]

First order of business April 1. fire this ****tard Elop and his band of traitorous stooges.

 

[ohgood]

First order of business April 1. fire this ****tard Elop and his band of traitorous stooges.

he's not a stooge, he's a Trojan. the plan happened exactly as expected.

 

[inteller]

so he's a Trojan for Google now? He is a ******* twirp and a yes man. He is carrying out selfish revenge tactics for not getting named MS CEO.

 

[WanderingTraveler]

so he's a Trojan for Google now? He is a ******* twirp and a yes man. He is carrying out selfish revenge tactics for not getting named MS CEO.

He listened to the shareholders.

The very same shareholders who would like to see their shares in Google rise further in value.

 

[palandri]

Maybe we'll see Symbian^5 next. :grin:

 

[colinkiama]

Tbh, i see this as a threat to windows phone. The phones at tge MWC were probably not optimised and Nokia did say they plan to release updates depending on user demand. The OS has so much potential and if all goes well and they release a high end device that sells well. It could replace WP.

 

[WanderingTraveler]

Maybe we'll see Symbian^5 next. :grin:

*salivates at the thought of such a phone*

Oh, and while they're at it, throw Windows Mobile 7 at us too!

 

[inteller]

He listened to the shareholders.

The very same shareholders who would like to see their shares in Google rise further in value.

the shareholders got what they wanted, selling a losing unit to Microsoft. This side show should have been canned the day that deal was announced.

 

[unstoppablekem]

Will stock go up or down? I guess we will find out in 45 minutes when the market opens...

 

[inteller]

that value will never be reflected in Nokia shares so if it goes up it is from stupidity only.

 

[Zacharyw70]

Let's be clear here. This is a Nokia device. Setup prior to MS buying Nokia. Obviously MS sees the use of something like this but with WP8.1 coming out I fail to see the need personally. At the price points indicated they're still not that cheap.

Also if you heard the presentation, the idea is to push the cost of Lumia phones down over time with the X series becoming even cheaper. With the release of WP8.1 it will catch up to Android and iOS.

You'll also know that if you watched the presentation that Google Play won't be available. Saying that I can see this being changed with some tweaking on the part of hackers.

Lastly, I think the interface is hideous. I guess we'll see what the general public thinks. I get the feeling we'll hear calls of WP failure in amongst the review of the X.

Take note he didn't say Google Play wasn't available, he mentioned it could use other stores, and he probably intentionally didn't mention the "Google" Word.
Why is this phone being made to reduce the cost of Lumia's? Why do they need a budget phone running Android? They already have the 520 series, why can't they focus on that or introduce an even cheaper Windows Phone series of budge phones. The fact they need to resort to using Android instead just doesn't make sense to me.

 

[Zacharyw70]

Tbh, i see this as a threat to windows phone. The phones at tge MWC were probably not optimised and Nokia did say they plan to release updates depending on user demand. The OS has so much potential and if all goes well and they release a high end device that sells well. It could replace WP.

This is what I see as well, the UI is very polished and already has a Notification Center which WP has lacked for the longest period. Not to mention it'll have third-party app stores and a ton of apps available. I don't see it taking the higher end market since Microsoft will no doubt not let them release one, but it's going to ruin WP's lower end and medium marketability and consumers aren't going to move to the higher end WP's from this.

 

[tgp]

Will stock go up or down? I guess we will find out in 45 minutes when the market opens...

The market has spoken: Google is up, Nokia is up, and Microsoft is down. Now, the question is whether or not the Nokia X has anything to do with it...

 

[jabtano]

Just going to sell Microsoft services, hey not. Though somewhat disappointing that not one new WP device. but eh.

 

[unstoppablekem]

Though somewhat disappointing that not one new WP device. but eh.

Wait for //build.