The beloved tech brand Nokia has been quiet for some time but it looks like they are planning something big. It has been confirmed that Nokia will be returning to the mobile phone scene in 2017.
The Bitbag reports that during the mobile tech giant's presentation at Nokia's Capital Markets Day 2016, an event held for investors on Nov. 15, the company stated that 2017 will represent "Nokia brand's return to smartphones."
Since Nokia had decided to license its commercial rights and no longer has the necessary manufacturing facilities, the handsets will be made in collaboration with Finnish company HMD Global and Taiwanese giant Foxconn. Spearheaded by former Nokia executives, HDM will develop, market and sell Nokia-branded phones and accessories while Foxconn will focus on R&D and manufacturing. A renowned advertising agency was also contracted to help promote upcoming Nokia smartphones.
Expectations are high that these new devices will be launched at next year's Mobile World Congress (MWC). According to TechRadar, Nokia had previously announced that its CEO Rajeev Suri will be a keynote speaker in the technology trade fair happening from Feb. 27 to Mar. 2, alongside chief executives of app and service developers and major carrier networks.
News reports have begun circulating that the new range of Nokia mobile phones and tablets will be running exclusively on the Android operating system.
At least three Nokia phones will allegedly be launched: a mid-range model and two flagship handsets that are packed with high-end features: 5.2 and 5.5-inch QHED OLED displays, Snapdragon 820 processors, 22.6MP graphene cameras, metal construction, water and dust resistance and operating on Android 7.0 Nougat. Reports also add that these phones will feature a metallic build which re-introduces Nokia's distinctive build and design qualities, as well as IP68 waterproofing certification on both handsets.
The cheaper, mid-range phone will supposedly have 1080p display, a Snapdragon 430 processor, and 3 GB of RAM and will also run on Android 7.0 Nougat.
Some designs of the upcoming Android Nokia C1 phone have reportedly been leaked, based on an article from Jobs & Hire, although it is unknown whether this will be the final design.
