Nokia may rejoin the smartphone market in 2016, is also working on a VR project

[Jos]

Nokia marked the end of an era when it closed the sale of its devices and services division to Microsoft back in 2014. The once dominant mobile phone player had been left to bite the dust as Apple and Google changed the game. But according to a new report from Recode citing sources briefed on the plans, the company is making return to the phone market as early as next year.

The project is apparently being pushed forward by the Nokia Technologies division -- the smallest of the three businesses that remained after the Microsoft deal. This is the same business unit responsible for the Zlauncher Android app and the N1 tablet, both of which happened post-Microsoft deal. 

While these projects are certainly small in scale, Recode has been told that it’s just the beginning, and that a lot more is in development.

The company is currently restricted from using its brand name on phones until Q4, 2016 to avoid confusion as Microsoft gradually moves away from it on the Lumia range. It also doesn’t have the manufacturing infrastructure to build phones itself -- the company sold those to Microsoft. Instead, Nokia is expected to focus on designing products and then license the designs and Nokia brand to someone that can handle manufacturing, sales and distribution.

It remains to be seen just how committed Nokia is to these and other projects currently in the works. Aside from a potential return to phones, Recode’s report also claims Nokia has a project related to virtual reality.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/60416-nokia-may-rejoin-smartphone-market-2016-also-working.html

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

I hope to see their phones make a return to the market, they were real good devices, much better than the cheap junk M$ is busy churning out now but hopefully they improve as well.

 

[Burty117]

I really hope Nokia kept the "core" people who helped make Nokia what it was before they started producing MS phones. Nokia was a brand that not only stood for quality (they're phones were undeniably solid) but also decent battery life.

If they kept the talent then once they can start producing Android phones they may just be some of the best on the market.

 

[nismo91]

I really hope Nokia kept the "core" people who helped make Nokia what it was before they started producing MS phones. Nokia was a brand that not only stood for quality (they're phones were undeniably solid) but also decent battery life.

If they kept the talent then once they can start producing Android phones they may just be some of the best on the market.

second this.

I was on WP7 and WP8 bandwagon before I finally switched to an android kitkat powered smartphone, because well, everyone knows there are extremely few WPs on the market. using an android at first, it takes some getting used to, but I am surprised even nokia's own here program works equally well if not better in android. other social apps like whatsapp, line, bbm and instagram are way superior in android.

BUT, the camera did not produce much better color and brightness than even nokia's low end 520. maybe nokia's own lumia camera algorithm to blame. if nokia were to release a proper android phone, I can see myself getting that. when I mean proper I dont mean half-assed phone like the X and XL series they released last year.

I like microsoft product, like the xbox and their keyboards. but sadly I couldn't say the same for the current lumia lineup.

 

[Kibaruk]

This is awesome, Nokia had an incredible quality standard, hopefully we will see the same next year.

 

[Kevin82485]

I wouldn't get your hopes up too much in terms of quality standards. It looks as they sold their manufacturing plants to Microsoft and they currently don't have any. It appears they will have to contract out the manufacturing to someone else which would mean Nokia wouldn't have direct oversight to the process. I hope the phones are superb quality, but when you look at it this way, it doesn't evoke much confidence.