Why Nokia's Android snub is a big mistake

    Creating a Nokia-friendly skin for Android would allow the company to allocate more resources to its real strength -- hardware -- and get stellar products to market faster. And in making the big leap to Android, the move could transform Nokia's image from mobile "has-been" to resurrected contender, something which RIM failed to accomplish with its BlackBerry 6 OS and BlackBerry Torch launch. Instead, Nokia's future now depends entirely on the following:

    • The critical and public acceptance of a new, unproven OS in a market already saturated with millions of Android, iOS, and BlackBerry OS-loaded phones.

    • Heavy promotion from carriers. This could be a particular challenge for the manufacturer, which has admitted that establishing relationships with domestic carriers will be a challenge. (As an example of what can happen when a carrier gives up on an OS, see Verizon's Palm Pre.)

    • Developer support. Will third-party developers, who have enough options to develop for -- and worry about -- want to devote resources to yet another OS? (Some developers have expressed early concerns about MeeGo's viability on message boards.)

    Regardless, Nokia has work to do, and a lot to prove, in the months and years ahead. But if the company had tied its wagon to Android -- or heck, even Windows Mobile 7 -- its success would be more assured.

    Update: In an earlier draft, we referred to Motorola's $5.4 billion as earnings, however that figure applies to the manufacturer's sales.