Nokia CEO says Google Motorola deal creates uncertainty for Android ecosystem

And rules out Microsoft takeover

9 September 2011 13:56 GMT / By Paul Lamkin

  Nokia CEO Stephen Elop has come out all guns blazing in defence of Nokia's decision to jump aboard the good ship Windows Phone 7, rather than taking the Android path.
Speaking in China, Elop said that the Google / Motorola deal has caused some big waves in the Andoid arena, saying that "it's only with time that we'll fully understand" the deal.
He said that for other manufacturers such as HTC and Samsung, there will no be concerns as to how the deal will affect their Android allegiances.
"It creates a great deal of uncertainty for the Android ecosystem," he said. "I'm sure it is of great concern for many of the Android participants."
Elop also dismissed suggestions that Nokia may end up making a similar move to Motorola, by becoming part of Microsoft.
"We see our future as a standalone company and we don't anticipate any chnages as it relates to Microsoft," he said.
The CEO,  who's proved that he's not afraid of making big calls already during his spell as Nokia boss, also indicated that he fully expects the company to bounce from its recent slump thanks to the Windows Phone move.
"We believe that the quality of the experience with the new Nokia devices will be attractive to existing Symbian customers, as well as to customers of other operating systems environments."
Elop said that testing for Nokia's Windows Phone 7 devices had gone well, resulting in positive feedback. He also statetd that current Symbian customers will be able to make use of certain measures to transfer "certain details" across to the new platform. Whether this means a dedicated app, we'll have to wait and see.
The first devices will land in Q4, he said, and the launch will be on a country by country basis.
source: http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/42005/nokia-ceo-predicts-android-uncertainty