How does smartphone satnav work?

I wish they'd get back behind Tizen or some other mobile Linux that has developed since they abandoned Meego. Android's dominance isn't healthy, but I'd rather have that than Microsoft or Apple.

My bold - No they don't. They do Android too. Currently not out but there's the Nokia Normandy. Runs Android (though heavily skinned to look similar to windows)

Until it's out I don't think it's reasonable to say they do one. Microsoft own them now and they would be loath to launch an Android phone because of the effect it would have on their attempts to sell Windows as a phone/tablet platform.

Until it's out I don't think it's reasonable to say they do one. Microsoft own them now and they would be loath to launch an Android phone because of the effect it would have on their attempts to sell Windows as a phone/tablet platform.

I think Microsoft just bought the Lumia brand and designs & left the remains of Nokia to produce phones using whatever OS they like, as long as they don't call them Lumia.

I should've said 'sell' rather than 'make'.

I think Microsoft just bought the Lumia brand and designs & left the remains of Nokia to produce phones using whatever OS they like, as long as they don't call them Lumia.

No, Nokia sold their entire mobile phone division, including staff and projects, to Microsoft. They also included licences to the massive patent portfolio and Nokia branding for Microsoft to continue to utilise in their phone developments.

Android has turned into the Windows of the mobile phone world, complete with buggy apps, poor hardware and huge quantities of malware. The Apple / MS walled garden approach is much more attractive to many people as it removes these massive issues. I suspect that the Nexus line of Android phones are likely to end up much more locked down than "standard" Android in an attempt to mirror these successes.

The opposite is true with Nexus devices, they're more open than other Android devices as they're targeted at developers. If they were locked down too much then what would developers use, Google understand the importance of developers as well as Microsoft used to. Branded Android phones have always been more locked than Nexus devices, although most are open enough to let you change the OS, root it, change the kernel, etc officially now. Android is getting less open though, more of the basic apps are proprietary Google apps with each version.

Google are slowly locking down Android which each release of a new os/update and this is why apps that previously worked no longer work unless you root your phone to get the features back or wait for Google to allow access again.