Nokia - still one of the top-selling handsets in SA - could have switched its smartphones to Google's Android operating system (OS) in the near future, had Microsoft not acquired the company earlier this month.
This is according to the New York Times, which says not only was a Nokia Android phone more than a possibility, "it was real".
The online news site says a Nokia team had Android up and running on Nokia's Lumia handsets even before Microsoft and Nokia started negotiations for the EUR5.4 billion deal.
The New York Times suggests this fact could have been instrumental in the discussions: "A functioning Nokia Android phone could have served as a powerful prop in Nokia's dealings with Microsoft, a tangible reminder that Nokia could move away from Microsoft's Windows phone software and use the Android operating system, which powers more than three out of every four smartphones sold globally."
The Nokia Windows agreement was reached between the companies in 2011, with the deal being up for renegotiation at the end of next year.
According to Strategy Analytics, Windows phones have captured 3.7% of the global smartphone market, while Android phones have 68% and Apple has 17%.
The site notes Nokia faced criticism for its decision about two years ago to go with Windows software for its handsets, rather than the popular open source Android platform.
"There is no telling for sure whether Nokia would have been better off with Android over that time. It is possible the design of the OS and greater abundance of Android apps might have put Nokia in a better spot."
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