As more companies unveil Google Android-based mobile phones, Nokia denied it will unveil an Android phone during its Nokia World conference this September.
A report published by the Guardian cites "industry insiders" who say the No. 1 phone manufacturer in the world is currently working on an Android device, which will be announced sometime in the fall. There have been several rumors over the past few months that Nokia would launch its own Android device at some point in 2009, but no one had 100 percent confirmation of the launch.
"Absolutely no truth to this whatsoever," a Nokia spokesperson told Reuters. "Everyone knows that Symbian is our preferred platform for advanced mobile devices."
I understand that Nokia helped with the creation of Symbian -- which is one of the reasons why, assuming it is working on an Android phone, it would want to keep the news quiet -- but if consumers want Android devices, then Nokia should follow suit and give the consumers what they want.
I personally think Symbian is doing nothing but causing Nokia problems these days, especially as the company continues to try and launch smartphones in the United States. In a market controlled by RIM BlackBerry, Apple iPhone, and a growing presence of Android, perhaps releasing an Android-based smartphone would help the company sell more units.
Along with its struggles in the U.S., Nokia's global domination is dwindling while the BlackBerry and iPhone offer more software-rich devices that Symbian has been unable to match. HSBC analysts believe Nokia's global smartphone control, which was 47% in 2007, dropped to 31 percent by the end of 2008, and will continue to fall.
Analysts are paying close attention to the smartphone market because it's the only sector of the mobile phone market that is growing at the moment.
