Developing on Android like peeing your pants?

Anssi Vanjoki is an outgoing vice president with Nokia and if his recent comments are any indication, it's easy to see why.

The Nokia exec was quoted by the Financial Times as saying that companies who developed handsets for Android were akin to small children who messed themselves.

The reasoning was not fear on the part of developers, but rather a nearsightedness on the part of hardware vendors. Much as a small child out in the cold could wet himself to warm up and later freeze from the icy liquid, a vendor could rush to pick up Android and later suffer from long-term losses when consumers realise they are just another hardware provider rather than a unique platform.

The idea is that it's better to have a complete offering than to just be a hardware vendor, like a PC company that sells Windows boxes. A company that makes hardware and software will be able to pull in far better margins than one that just produces the hardware.

An interesting concept, but one that leaves out an important variable: the popularity of the software platform. Apple produces is own hardware and software, Dell sells Windows on its own PC hardware.

Apple makes better margins, Dell makes more money. The smaller margin gets offset by more sales. People buy into the compatibility and reach of the dominant platform more than they do the unique appeal of a less popular platform.

This is the quandary for Nokia. If they jump to Android they could take a hit financially by having to compete with other handset vendors on features alone. If they stay with Symbian, however, they might find themselves passed up in market share down the line and limiting their market.