The Debate: Nokia Maps for ALL WP8 phones: Deal or No Deal?

Microsoft just announced that Nokia's map technology is being built into Windows Phone 8. Meaning, that Nokia's Map will no longer be exclusive to Nokia WP8 phones, an important feature that gave Nokia the edge against other WP8 manufacturers.
Of course, this news was met with mixed reactions, and Nokia swiftly put out an article on its official blog (Nokia Conversations) trying to explain the decision.

Now, The question is? Nokia maps for EVERY WP8 phone. Deal or No Deal?

Deal:

Nokia gets an additional source of revenue from licensing fees on its mapping platform to Microsoft’s windows phone OS, who in turn will embed it into their WP8 OS, thereby making it available on every WP8 phone,.

The addition of Nokia map services/platform improves Windows phone as a whole and makes it a more formidable opponent to mobile heavyweights android and iphone, if windows phone has such great services, this could draw tired iphone and android users to the platform, and as an android/iphone user looking to switch, when you hear windows phone your first choice would be Nokia! This benefits Nokia.

Opens up a whole new business for Nokia, as more devs will be able to create their location based apps on Nokia’s map platform, for example foursquare can use the platform to enhance its WP app.

No Deal:

The reason Nokia WP phones is currently outselling other non-Nokia  WP phones today (*at a rate of 10:1) is because of the unique and exclusive services and features their phones provide. And today we are one short on exclusive Nokia content.

At the end of the day, Nokia will get licensing money, but is it worth losing its exclusivity for it?

While this deal benefits Nokia, the BIGGEST winner here is undoubtedly Microsoft. I wouldn’t be surprised if this whole thing was Microsoft’s idea, Nokia would have single-handedly improved the WP OS immensely on its own phones. After all, they were given ample privileges to do so. it didn’t need to share, but think about it, Microsoft would prefer it this way.

No brand recognition: On windows 8 tablets today, its Maps App is powered by Nokia, but I guess you knew that, but the average consumer wouldn't, the same thing is goign to happen when Nokia powers Maps on WP8 phones, it is definitely not going to say "Nokia Maps with an icon and all. So when a consumer buys a HTC phone and uses the awesome navigation on it, how are they going to know its Nokia at work there.

Let me be cynical here in this last paragraph and start by saying this; Nokia’s sharing its Mapping services with Microsoft's Windows Phone is like the US selling nuclear weapons to Russia.

Microsoft has already showed what they are capable of when they took a sneak peek at OEMs tablets and then went behind their backs to make their own tablet, much to the dismay of OEMs.
let’s not be surprised when Microsoft comes with a new and improved Bing maps in the near future, I’m just saying.

So what do you think, was this Maps licensing a deal? or no deal?












(*)imaginary fact created from my imagination

Posted in: lumia