Nokia: We're Not Working on an Android Phone

Nokia is denying reports that the company plans to launch a mobile phone running Google's Android operating system as soon as September. The report originally appeared in the Guardian, a British newspaper, and quickly spread around the Web. But Nokia says there is "absolutely no truth" to the story.

The Guardian's story, published this morning, said that Nokia's Android-powered phone would be a touch-screen device and would be unveiled at the Nokia World conference this fall. The story called the move a "strategic U-turn" for Nokia, as the company has always used the Symbian platform in its mobile phones.

And, indeed, had the report proved true, a switch to Android would have been a complete change of direction for Nokia -- and, in my opinion, a much needed one. The Symbian platform is aging, and it shows. I've spent some time testing Symbian recently on both the Nokia N97 and the Nokia E75, and the platform really can't compete with today's newer, slicker operating systems like the iPhone OS, Palm's webOS and Google Android. It lacks the pizzazz and the polish that these newer OSes have.

But Nokia says it has no plans to move to Android,telling Reuters: "Everyone knows that Symbian is our preferred platform for advanced mobile devices." If that's so, I hope that the Symbian platform gets the overhaul it needs, and soon.

Image © Open Handset Alliance