After initially denying it was re-entering the smartphone business; Nokia has finally confirmed it would be returning to smartphone business in 2016. There is however a catch, the company would prefer to design and license it names to be used on the smartphones.
According to Nokia CEO, Rajeev Suri in an interview with Germany publication, Manager Magazin, he said; “We will look for suitable partners. Microsoft makes mobile phones. We would simply design them and then make the brand name available to license.”
Once considered as the World’s biggest maker of mobile phones, Nokia sold off its mobile arm to Microsoft in a deal worth around $7.2 Billion and there lies a clause in the contract which cannot let it release smartphones until later in 2016.
Read: Nokia and LG enter into smartphone patent licensing deal
However, the company can release other form of devices and Nokia did release a tablet in partnership with Foxconn late last year. The Nokia N1 Tablet was designed and licensed by the Finnish company while Foxconn manufactured the device.
The tablet received much critical acclaim running Android OS and with the Nokia Z Launcher also receiving similar credits. Nokia would be employing the same strategies obviously when it’s obligation to Microsoft is over and it can start making smartphones on its own.
It is unlikely Nokia return to making Windows Phone but would be making smartphones to other mobile operating Systems, IOS? No of course, only Android would be the ideal one. Finally, we would get to see the long expected first Android smartphone from Nokia.
Source: Reuters
It is long overdue. Nokia need to be back.