The growth of Android Smartphones in the global market has surpassed other Smartphones running on different operating systems. Nokia Corporation (ADR) which was acquired by Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT), one of the leading Smartphone retailers in the world, ditched their operating system Symbian and collaborated with Microsoft’s Windows but are now switching to Android. There have been rumours about Nokia’s new Smartphone Normandy with Android operating system. This is not the first time we have heard about Normandy and probably not the last either. Previously we had only heard about the rumours but this time the image of the device has also been leaked by @evleaks.
Nokia introduced its last Symbian powered Smartphone in February 2012 that was Pure View 808 with a 41 mega pixel camera, but after that no Symbian phone has been introduced by Nokia. Nokia is the leading manufacturer of Windows phones in the global market, accounting for 81.6 percent of all the Windows operated Smartphones in Q2 2013. Besides that if we observe the last few quarters, Nokia is continuously improving its market share through its Smartphones. In Q2 2012, where the overall shipment of Nokia Smartphones were just 2.9 million, it increased rapidly in Q2 2013 to 7.4 million. And in Q3 2013 the overall shipment reached 8.8 million.
While acquiring Nokia Corporation (ADR) (NYSE:NOK), Microsoft Corporation(NASDAQ:MSFT) claimed that this buyout will improve and expand the potential of Windows Phone market globally. Microsoft is pleased that Windows Phone is able to acquire the third position in the over all mobile operating systems after Android and iOS.
In comparison to other Smartphones, the sales of Nokia is not up to the mark. Smartphone giants Samsung and Apple together shipped 47.32 percent Smartphones in Q3 2013, whereas Nokia shipped just 6 percent of the overall Smartphones in Q3 2013. While LG, Huawei+ZTE, Blackberry and others managed to ship 4.80, 10, 1.48, 30.40 percentage of the overall Smartphone shipment in Q3 2013 respectively.
After such a substantial growth, what is the reason behind Nokia introducing its first ever Android Smartphone Normandy? In retrospect, if we consider the case of HTC, we can clearly see that HTC switched from Windows OS to Android but failed to attract the Smartphone user across the world. If the companies are able to integrate well, only then will they stand a chance against other neck to neck rivals in the market.
By introducing an Android Smartphone, Nokia’s main challenge is to promote it on a large scale and sell their product,while other competitors are also looking to do the same to each other. Nokia can target this emerging Android market and use its brands image to set a strong foothold.
But still the question arises, will Microsoft owned Nokia now ditch the Windows OS too and join the Android bandwagon?
