Upcoming Nokia Phones: Finnish Manufacturer Will Return Next Year With Android Phones?
Last year, the completion of the Microsoft-Nokia deal was initially thought by most people as the answer to the Windows Phone's woes in the market.
Unfortunately, WP 8.1 was not enough for Nokia and Microsoft to make a push for a higher market share in 2014.
To make things worse, Microsoft did not only get Nokia's mobile division, but also took out the 'Nokia' brand from new Lumia handsets.
But just when everyone thought that they have seen the last of Nokia, the manufacturer surprisingly announced the powerful Nokia N1 Tablet, its first Android-powered slate.
However, because of the non-compete clause in the agreement between Microsoft and Nokia, a GSM Arena report stated that the rights for the branding, manufacturing, marketing, and distribution of the N1 Tablet were licensed to Foxconn.
Now, it seems that Nokia is aiming to develop Android-powered handsets early next year.
A GSM Arena report said that a Nokia executive himself confirmed rumors that the manufacturer is working on Android-powered smartphones in China.
Based on the report, the devices will be manufactured in Nokia's factories in Sichuan in China, and should be made available in 2016.
Last year, Nokia launched its first ever Android devices, the Nokia X family, though they did not really function as Android-powered handsets due to restrictions in software and other features.
But just like the Nokia N1, the company's Android phones next year would be full-pledged Google phones that could spell a rebirth in the mobile market.