Nokia exec vents about Windows Phone app gap

Trade

In a rare show of frustration, a Nokia executive suggests that Microsoft needs to rethink its approach to Windows Phone.

Speaking to International Business Times, Nokia vice president Bryan Biniak said that it was hard to get people to switch to Windows Phone when the apps they rely on aren’t available.

While he didn’t offer any specific ways that Microsoft could improve the app situation on Windows Phone, he did suggest that Microsoft could be moving faster on building its mobile operating system. Nokia has been releasing new phones on a regular basis, including the new Lumia 925 (pictured), while a major update to Windows Phone may not come until next year.

"We are trying to evolve the cultural thinking [at Microsoft] to say time is of the essence," Biniak said. "Waiting until the end of your fiscal year when you need to close your targets, doesn’t do us any good when I have phones to sell today."

Biniak added that Microsoft doesn’t have any major gaps in its catalog, but said there are "select applications that need to be there." He also expressed optimism for the future of Windows Phone, saying that wireless carriers want a third ecosystem to succeed alongside iOS and Android. There was nothing in the interview to suggest that Nokia is planning to stray from Windows Phone.

Still, when it comes to bringing more apps to Windows Phone, Nokia has been doing a fair amount of the legwork. Some games and apps, such as Bejeweled Live+, Trivial Pursuit, Zinio, and ESPN Hub have launched as exclusives to Nokia’s Lumia phones.

Nokia has also lobbied other app makers to support Microsoft’s platform, most notably campaigning for a Windows Phone version of Instagram and announcing that Vine will be coming to Windows Phone later this year.

IDG News Service

Read More: Microsoft Mobile Windows Phone