OS overload?
Nokia is rumoured to be strongly considering using Windows Phone 7 as an extra platform for its handset range.
According to VentureBeat, Nokia's board has given its new CEO, Stephen Elop licence to change its current strategy including the os of its phones if he fancies it, in a bid to reverse its flagging smartphone fortunes.
If Nokia did decide to go with WP7, it would be a major boost for Microsoft, with WP7 reportedly set to feature on handsets by HTC, Samsung, LG, Asus and Dell. It could also perk up Nokia's fortunes as the phone giant's share price is said to have plunged by nearly two thirds since Apple first unveiled its iPhone back in June 2007.
The rumour mill has gone into over-drive about Nokia's new head honcho line-up, including one that tips a Microsoft Nokia merger, although there is no evidence that talks have happened.
Nokia has just released its N8 flagship device, which runs Symbian 3 to boost its smartphone credentials and has seen strong pre-orders. It is also rumoured to go on sale in the US with AT&T, which could be the US breakthrough Nokia has been waiting for.
However, Symbian has received bad press and is not a favourite among developers, so Elop will have to decide Symbian's fate going forward. Nokia has tried to make Symbian more tempting to developers of late with the launch of its Qt software development tool, which promises to let them use 70 percent less code for apps and take half the time to build.
Most developers reportedly think Nokia's Ovi store has come on leaps and bounds. Nokia's new Symbian 3 handsets will support Qt as well as 20 of its current handsets.
But as Symbian catches up with Android and iOS, it is anyone's guess whether Elop will adopt WP7, especially as MeeGo devices are predicted to launch in Q4.
Meanwhile, Brandon Watson, Microsoft's director for WP7 has said the os will support tethering, although ultimately the phone network will decide whether it is allowed or not, according to a podcast unearthed by WM Experts.
Pocket Now has made a video to compare how WP7 stacks up with the one to beat...the iPhone. The video compares the phones' interfaces including the home screen layouts. It focuses on WP7's action-based screen composed of dynamic tiles, versus the iPhone's app-centric approach.
