Microsoft surprised everyone by launching its Surface tablet, taking on its hardware partners at their own game. Since then, there have been plenty of rumours about a possible Surface phone, with the device apparently entering the testing phase at the end of last year. And now it seems Nokia is getting a little antsy, suspecting Microsoft will step on its toes.
ZDNet reports that in a filing with the SEC (US Securities and Exchange Commission -- a federal regulator), Nokia wrote not only did it suspect Microsoft of making a mobile, but that it could be "detrimental" to the Finnish phone firm's business interests. Sounds like a storm brewing.
"Microsoft may make strategic decisions or changes that may be detrimental to us," Nokia wrote in the filing. "For example, in addition to the Surface tablet, Microsoft may broaden its strategy to sell other mobile devices under its own brand, including smart phones.
"This could lead Microsoft to focus more on their own devices and less on mobile devices of other manufacturers that operate on the Windows Phone platform, including Nokia."
This is a world away from Nokia CEO Stephen Elop's previous claims that he would welcome Microsoft as "a stimulant to the ecosystem". Nokia does sound a little paranoid, but then this is a security filing, so I suppose it's to be expected.
It's even considering what would happen if Microsoft put the kibosh on its mobile OS, Windows Phone 8. "If Microsoft reduces investment in that operating system, or discontinues it, our smart phone strategy would be directly negatively affected by such acts."
Come on Nokia, I'm sure it'll be alright.
While we have heard about Microsoft testing a phone, that doesn't mean it'll release the device. The company tests all sorts of products without putting them up for sale. Still, a Microsoft mobile would shake things up a bit. And this is business, I'm sure the Redmond company isn't here to make friends.
Would you buy a Surface phone? Let me know in the comments, or on Facebook.
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Comments 11
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anonymous 10 March, 2013 17:28
Hope they do, it'll make Nokia see sense and switch to andriod. I'm not speaking from a fanboy perspective but it is a business made for making money. They definately sell more mobiles if they do switch to andriod
Sandesh Damkondwar 10 March, 2013 17:45
They are playing safe game,
They will open up their card only if windows 8 is successful.
I'm not saying that windows 8 is bad, It's not at all.
The concept of windows 8 on tablet is totally wrong actually.
Who really want to handle desktop apps on tablet?
What we know is windows store is not strong enough now, and they need a time to bring good OS into smartphone and tablet market.
anonymous 10 March, 2013 23:44
Listing "risk factors" - i.e. worst-case scenarios - is a discolosure requirement of their stock exchange. google it ffs.
anonymous 11 March, 2013 04:11
????????????
Nokia followed the wrong people(Microsoft),haha.
anonymous 11 March, 2013 04:28
To Sandesh... while many might not want to handle desktop apps on a tablet, I and many others would love to be able to run desktop apps on a laptop that has a removable keyboard and a touch screen. A tablet doing desktop, perhaps not. But a laptop doing tablet stuff, you bet. I love my Surface for just that reason.
anonymous 11 March, 2013 13:01
Yay listen to Nokia for advice on how to make smartphones, because everyone knows how successful and innovative it is in this field.
anonymous 11 March, 2013 13:03
@anonymous 11 March, 2013 04:28
That is most confused comment i think i have ever read. Either that or maybe just enhanced by my heavy weekend of partying.
anonymous 11 March, 2013 14:22
I'd say Nokia would actually build the surface phone tho no? like Asus built the Nexus 7
anonymous 11 March, 2013 22:16
It wouldn't be a big deal, it would cost probably around £500 and the only phone that a Surfacephone could damage would be the Nokia Lumia 920... I doubt they will go the cheap way selling phones for £80(Nokia Lumia 610 in Argos).Besides, it would probably fail unless they marketed it well.
anonymous 11 March, 2013 23:57
Nokia need to wake up and not stick their eggs in one basket. Android awaits as well as new OS's so they should be embracing others too.
anonymous 21 March, 2013 14:42
Nokia had a problem with their previous OS in that they did not deliver a large app market. Sadly they lost a big slice of the marketshare they once owned. In going in with Microsoft they have managed to boost their marketshare rather a lot and now have the limelight for windows phones, delivering some amazing devices. Hopefully they will not rely on windows OS completely and will like Samsung be investing in their own OS. The only problem is the app market. If they could somehow enable their OS to run android apps they could steal the market from Samsung.