Here's How Consumers And Developers Can Get Android Apps On The Nokia X

Nokia has made the biggest news of MWC 2014 by launching its latest Android based smartphones Nokia X, X+ and XL. This is the first time Nokia has given up on Microsoft's Windows Phone operating system and has adopted Google's Android. However, these smartphones will not feature Google Play Services and by extension won’t have access to the Play Store. So, how is Nokia even thinking of wooing developers and consumers alike into falling head over heels with the Android devices, sans Google Play?

The Nokia X for instance is built on the Android Open Source Project (AOSP), version 4.1.2 Jelly Bean. Nokia insists it has made very few alterations to the AOSP for its new smartphone. What it necessarily means is that most of the existing Android apps should work fine on the Nokia X without a hassle. Meanwhile, Nokia is "looking for Android developers that already have an app and are after a boatload of new consumers."

Here's how consumers and developers can get Android apps on the Nokia X:

Three Ways To Download Apps:

1. The Nokia store: Developers can simply drag and drop their standard Android Application Package Files (APKs) into the Nokia Store. Nokia will then scan the app for compatibility. Most apps won't need to change a thing, says Nokia. 

2. Third-party app stores: The Nokia store will come with links of various third-party app stores. Users can download just about any app from anywhere, insists Nokia.

3. Sideloaded apps: Users will be able to make use of the fact that Android allows the ability to directly download an APK from any source, however, the same does pose risks at times.

Three New APIs

1. Location: A new location API (Nokia HERE Maps) will now replace Google Maps.

2. Notifications: A new custom-made notifications API will now be integrated into the phone's home screen.

3. In-app payments: The Nokia X will support payments using direct-carrier billing with cellular partners across the world.

Three Messages To Developers

1. Massive reach: Upon release, the Nokia X will be a budget-friendly, attractive and app-loaded device. Developers will therefore get access to big new markets through their association with the device, claims Nokia. 

2. Money: Nokia plans to chuck the pay-per-download model for apps and instead use a “try-and-buy” approach to let users download the apps and pay for them if they want to keep them.

3. Time to market: Nokia insists that most APKs that work with Android Jelly Bean 4.1.2 will work just fine in the Nokia Store.