why is nokia working on Asha

[Fred P]

Asha is a platform for low end phones which can run java apps. Nokia are supporting this with regular updates, i can imagine this would involve a substantial development team.
Why are they pushing a separate OS, when they could have made a cut down version of windows phone (say one that runs on 64/128mb ram) and for which nokia could have helped rewrite some essential WP apps like FB/Skype/twitter & some games to work in better in a low memory mode.

isnt maintaining a second OS a distraction, or is it a form of 'insurance'?




Nokia hedges its commitment to Windows Phone with new Asha platform and $99 phone | The Verge

 

[Daniel Ratcliffe]

I don't think WP OS would work at that level. Asha is for the hyper low end.

 

[a5cent]

Asha is a platform for low end phones which can run java apps. Nokia are supporting this with regular updates, i can imagine this would involve a substantial development team.
Why are they pushing a separate OS, when they could have made a cut down version of windows phone (say one that runs on 64/128mb ram) and for which nokia could have helped rewrite some essential WP apps like FB/Skype/twitter & some games to work in better in a low memory mode.

You are correct that it is a distraction, but it is a necessary distraction. It just isn't possible to hit the same low price points with WP. Even if they could lower RAM to 128 MB, which they can't due to OS requirements, that would save them at best $3. Smartphone RAM is cheap. However, they would need to shave another $60, off the 520, from which almost everything has already been trimmed that you possibly can, without breaking OS compatibility.

Asha will die when it possible to make $60 WP devices.