Skip to main content

Nokia CEO speaks out against Google’s Motorola purchase

Nokia CEO Stephen Elop (May 2011)
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Google is planning to buy Motorola for $12.5 billion and not everybody is happy about it. Nokia CEO Stephen Elop, who signed a major partnership deal with Microsoft earlier this year, has spoken out against the Google acquisition. His fears are exactly the same fears Windows Phone partners would have had when Nokia and Microsoft entered into their multi-billion dollar arrangement, which gives Nokia certain abilities and access that other Windows Phone manufacturers will not have.

“If I happened to be someone who was an Android manufacturer or an operator, or anyone with a stake in that environment, I would be picking up my phone and calling certain executives at Google and say, ‘I see signs of danger ahead.’ The very first reaction I had was very clearly the importance of the third ecosystem and the importance of the partnership that we announced on February 11, it is more clear than ever,” said Elop while speaking at a seminar in Helinski (quote via Phandroid).

In our opinion, this is pretty much a case of the pot calling the kettle black. We don’t know how Google will manage Motorola, but the company says it mainly purchased the company for its patents and plans to run Motorola somewhat separately from the rest of the company. While we don’t know if Google will actually do that, it would make no sense for the company to abandon Android as an open platform when that is the main reason that it has become so popular in the first place. This situation is very similar to the criticism Microsoft faced when it inked a major, near exclusive, partnership with Nokia. The only major difference is that Android is the dominant platform in the smartphone market and Windows Phone is a distant fourth. 

In any case, we look forward to Nokia and Microsoft’s upcoming Windows Phone 7.5 (Mango) announcements soon. We’re quite excited to see what the companies have cooked up. 

Editors' Recommendations

Jeffrey Van Camp
Former Digital Trends Contributor
As DT's Deputy Editor, Jeff helps oversee editorial operations at Digital Trends. Previously, he ran the site's…
Don’t buy this new Motorola phone — get this other one instead
Renders of the Moto G 5G (2024) and Moto G Power 5G (2024).

the Moto G 5G (left) and Moto G Power 5G Digital Trends

Budget phones can slip under the radar when shiny, powerful flagships launch. But if you're in the market for a smartphone that gets the job done and won't blow a four-figure hole in your bank balance, then a great budget smartphone is the way to go.

Read more
Get 32% off the cellular model of the iPad Pro 12.9 this weekend
The iPad Pro on a desk next to a stylus and AirPods.

If you've been thinking about getting the iPad Pro with cellular connectivity but you've been hoping to buy the tablet from iPad deals for a discount, this may be what you've been waiting for -- a 32% discount from Amazon's Woot on the 12.9-inch, Wi-Fi + Cellular model of the 2021 Apple iPad Pro with 128GB of storage. From $1,199, it's down to just $810, which is a steal price for this device with savings of $389. However, while there are still several days left on this offer, it's highly recommended that you proceed with the purchase immediately because there's a chance that stocks don't last that long.

Why you should buy the 2021 Apple iPad Pro 12.9
It's not the latest version of Apple's top-of-the-line tablet -- the honor goes to the 2022 Apple iPad Pro -- but the 2021 Apple iPad Pro is still a pretty powerful device by today's standards. That's because it's equipped with Apple's M1 chip, which promises fantastic speed and excellent graphics when you're working on your multimedia projects, multitasking between several apps, or playing console-level games. With its 12.9-inch Liquid Retina XDR touchscreen, you'll enjoy high-brightness and high-contrast content, and its mini-LED display provides deeper black levels and more vibrant colors.

Read more
Samsung Galaxy A55 vs. A54: all the big changes, explained
Renders of the Samsung Galaxy A55 next to the Galaxy A54.

Galaxy A55 (left) and Galaxy A54 Digital Trends

Samsung has been on a roll with new phone releases in 2024. At the end of January, Samsung released the flagship Galaxy S24 lineup. It's fantastic, but not everyone can afford the latest and greatest flagship. Thankfully, Samsung also makes budget-friendly alternatives, and that’s the appeal of the new Galaxy A55.

Read more