Mobile Operators Want a Nokia Lumia 900 with Android

Some carriers say that an Android-based Lumia phone would be achieving greater sales, reports Reuters.

There has been a noticeable uptick in interest for Nokia phones as well as Windows Phone 7 since the launch of the flagship Lumia 900 phone. Despite a bug that plagued the launch of the phone initially, Nokia claims that it has seen strong demand, even if the company warned investors that the company would see losses in Q1 and Q2 because of tougher competition and shrinking margins.

The fresh colors on Lumias is not doing much to attract customers in Europe, Reuters reports, and consumers are not asking for Windows phones - which has been a problem for Microsoft since the original launch of Windows Phone in 2010.

"Nokia have given themselves a double challenge: to restore their credibility in terms of making hardware smartphones and succeed with the Microsoft Windows operating system, which lags in the market," an executive from an unnamed carrier told Reuters. He added: "If the Lumia with the same hardware came with Android in it and not Windows, it would be much easier to sell."

Both Microsoft, which has just 1 percent of the U.S. smartphone market, as well as Nokia need a breakthrough device. Apparently, the recent Lumia phones do not deliver on that goal, at least not in Europe.

Douglas Perry is an author and journalist from Portland, Oregon. His many articles have appeared in the likes of Tom's Guide, Tom's Hardware, The Oregonian, and several newspapers. He has covered topics including security, hardware, and cars, and has written five books. In his spare time, he enjoys watching The Sopranos.

  • iceman1992
    Well the OS itself is quite sleek. Needs more efficient marketing though, and that "smoked by windows phone" thing was a failure (WP got smoked by android but the store refused to give the prize with irrational, insane, made-up reasons)
    Reply
  • jdog2pt0
    My complaint with Windows Phone has always been the same. It's too similar to Apple products, too closed down. Windows Mobile was nice; felt like I was using Windows(PC) on my phone. Now they've got it bassackwards. They're building a computer operating system around a shitty mobile one. I've zero interest in using WP. Frankly I was torn when I dropped WM for Android. Could just be me, but maybe if they'd continued their mobile OS along the Windows Mobile path instead of creating a new one, they might have been more successful. Just my two cents...
    Reply
  • dthx
    I cannot agree with this. I work in an IT related company and even here, besides the system engineers and a few geeks, most people seem to be barely capable to tell the difference between a E-72 and an old blackberry or between an Motorola Android and a Samsung Bada crap. Sadly, the only phone they seem to recognize for sure is the iPhone (but I'm sure I can show them an iPod touch and tell them is the new, slimmer iPhone 5... ).
    In the Android world, Nokia doesn't stand a chance. It's already too crowded in there and the Nokia brand recognition is maybe not that high amongst smartphones users who didn't wait for Nokia all those years. Coming here with a Windows Phone puts them in a more unique position. They will probably not take many customers away from Samsung, HTC or Apple... but all those enterprises stuck with their Blackberry's and looking for something fresh yet professional may consider those new Nokias (I like Android for myself, but I don't consider this a professional product at all). Plus, the lumia's quite unique look fits perfectly with the metro tiles of Windows Phone. They were designed to meet each other :-D
    Reply
  • rex86
    Ah the failure that Nokia has become. Even with the help of Microsoft they can not raise from the dead.
    Reply
  • hannibal
    One problem in Europe is that in here we read out the specks and they have been higher in Android models. Even though windows phones normally run sleeker and better than android phones that need to have reasonable fast hardware to run smoothly.
    Also it seems that corporates in Europe are wainting for multicore support (read Windows 8 for phones) to jump the bandwagong...
    So there is wainting game going on.
    Reply
  • pneumo
    Again, I'd like to see hard numbers and names, not just "Some carriers" and "Reuters reports".
    I can't speak for everyone, but I see more and more WP7 with people every day.
    Also companies where everyone runs around with htc Titan's.

    Maybe a lot of android lovers (not to be taken as something bad) just want android on those pretty Lumia's.
    Cause either way you look at it, they ARE something different then your average smartphone.
    Reply
  • njt
    ever since the first pics of the lumia 900 were leaked i said i would buy it, if it came with android. i'm sure there's plenty of people that feel that way, so the providers are likely right; they're very handsome phones.
    Reply
  • Vladislaus
    rex86Ah the failure that Nokia has become. Even with the help of Microsoft they can not raise from the dead.Isn't the Lumia line the most successful windows phone on sale?
    Reply
  • p05esto
    I'm moving to Windows phone when my current phone gives up the ghost. I will never run Win8 on my desktop though. I'll wait for Win9 and for MS to fix the Metro steaming pile of crap.
    Reply
  • mariusmotea
    I like Lumia 900 but with windows phone i can not do many things. If was runing Android i definitely buy one.
    Reply