Nokia Smartphone Return on Android Starts Already This Christmas

So the return of 'proper' Nokia, no longer part of Microsoft, and unbundled by the damage of Windows, is coming at us fast. News via Nokia's Mike Wang, is that the first devices will be out in the fourth quarter of this year yes 2016. That usually means close to the end of the quarter, so expect shortly before Christmas. The first set will include both smartphone(s) and tablet(s). Total first Andorid based Nokia return devices is 3 or 4 this year, likely premium products. The rumors expect metal cases, waterproofing, larger than 5 inch screens for smartphones and cameras in the 22 mp sensor size. Designed by HMD and manufactured by Foxconn. Also related news, HMD has hired former Rovio exec, Pekka Rantala as its CMO. Rovio is obviously the creator of Angry Birds the most downloaded videogame of all time. Pekka is an ex Nokian returning to his roots.

No word on exact specs, prices, launch countries but yeah, expect a premium product initial offering and So a lot of luck to the launch and looking greatly forward to once again having a Nokia smartphone in at least one of my pockets... Long Live Nokia !!!

Comments

[John A]

I saw some related statistics on Windows Phone/Mobile. Gartner write that Windows now only got 0,6 % globaly. Kantar World panel spot the same trend to. The marketshare for Windows on mobile shrinking fast. I guess in some weeks it be around 0,3 %..

So when Satya Nadella will shut down Windows 10 Mobile development completly? If no users I guess no sense to deal with it.

I looking forward what Nokia can bring to the Android world some great cameras or other features that sticks out?

[paul]

Looking forward to some great Nokia Android phones with a >40Mpx camera!

Also a Nokia Nexus would be cool!

[jj]

It's great to get Nokia back! It may be difficult to differentiate though.

"So when Satya Nadella will shut down Windows 10 Mobile development completly?"

No users, no profit for MS. So what have changed actually?

[Tester]

About Microsoft:

What's happening now is precisely what I expected when the last round of restructuring was announced. To anyone with some insight (which apparently most people completely lacked) it was clear that the goal was to let the platform implode so that the management gets sufficient reason to shut this money leaking machine down for good, but with the clueless investors 'moving out of mobile' would have been considered a dumb and catastrophic move, screw the financial situation. But now even the dumbest person has to realize that there has to be an end soon.

[ChrisB]

John A.,

I'm looking forward to what made Nokia great in the first place:

- robustness

- ease of use

- long battery life

- smart features

- Nokia's capability to fill a phone up to the brim with really useful features. No-one in the mobile phone business was as good as Nokia in this game until Elop ruined it all. Apple and Samsung's "innovations" look pretty lame compared to what Nokia was able to pull off in the past.

I have my doubts, to be honest, but let's wait and see.

[ChrisB]

Also, an updated Pureview phone would be great. It would relieve me from carrying my DSLR camera with me even when I don't need it -- provided the phone comes with a lens provided by Zeiss, Leica, Olympus or Nikon.

[jj]

A good SW update policy could be a good way to differentiate from most Android vendors. You just don't get updates from Chinese vendors.

Just for curiosity, how much does it cost for MS to develop Windows 10 mobile after the latest restructuring?

[paul]

@Jj

> A good SW update policy could be a good way to differentiate
> from most Android vendors. You just don't get updates from Chinese vendors.

I totally agree with this. This is one of the most often complains I here from the people I know regarding their Android phones.

Personally, my number one is camera in a phone.

[Abdul Muis]

To be honest.

I prefer plastic. It's more durable & better reception.

[MalcolmX]

As a longtime Windows phone/Lumia user and fan who is now toying with the idea of getting an Android phone, this is good news.

Have to say, however, that the Android UI falls so disappointingly short of Windows 10 Mobile that I wish Microsoft would simply come out with an Android variant or skin that includes live tile support and call it a day. The "live tiles" skins available for Android are a good first try, for Android, but still need a lot of work.

[Crunk Kykd]

Don't fight the last battle. The new mobile battle is head-mounted VR. Still winnable by someone with optics chops, ergonomic industrial design, hardware.

[E.Casais]

"So the return of 'proper' Nokia"

Nokia 'proper' is not returning.

Manufacturing is Foxconn -- not Nokia.

Design is HMD -- not Nokia.

Channel sales will not be Nokia either.

Nokia only, only, delivers a somewhat faded brand.

I, as well as other commentators here, have said it repeatedly, and the increasing rumours lead even more credence to my position: expect standard slabs, perhaps no worse than the competition, but with no USP.

[Paul]

I'm pretty sure they will have standard USB port.

[John Phamlore]

@Jj:
> A good SW update policy could be a good way to differentiate
> from most Android vendors. You just don't get updates from Chinese vendors.

Apparently no one, even Google, can do much better. Check out how long Google supports their own Nexus phones:

https://support.google.com/nexus/answer/4457705?hl=en&ref_topic=3415518

Two years of version updates and three years of security updates, or 18 months after the device stops selling on the Google store, is all that is promised by Google itself.

I suspect the nature of what Google did to popularize Android is the problem, specifically with how Google tamed the GPL license of the Linux kernel. Google created the infrastructure for hardware manufacturers to merely provide binary blobs to enable their devices to function, no source code required to be published.

Unfortunately for device support longevity, hardware manufacturers do not exactly have long timelines to support a particular device. In a year or two it's on to the next hardware version.

I suspect only the very largest sellers such as Apple have the clout to demand specs from their suppliers for true longterm support, which these days is over 3 years.

[MH]

Following on from some of the posts above...

Perhaps now that the market has matured, and a 2 year old phone is just fine in terms of functionality, a new and different USP would be "long term durable". Not just hardware, but firmware. That does make the product more expensive, as the software maintenance costs must be built into the up-front price.

But in this supposedly eco-obsessed world it puzzles me that so many still-good phones are ditched after 2 years.
A well-made phone with 5-year support life would appeal if one was buying it "cash" - but I guess as long as networks sell their 2-year contracts it's unlikely to sell well...

[AtTheBottomOfTheHilton]

I couldn't care less about a Nokia Android phone. There tons of different Android phones out there from expensive high end phones to cheap ones. What possibly can Nokia add to this market and why should I buy a Nokia Android phone instead for example a Samsung Galaxy S6 which is a great phone.

If Nokia offered Sailfish OS variants of their phones I would buy one of those but never their Android phones.

[Timo M.]

@AtTheBottom

Nokia could add tons of ideas to the smartphone market. Nokia used to create all sorts of crazy designs, surprising the market again and again. Last move to sweep us from our feet was the 40 megapixel monster camera which Elop was forced to bring out with Symbian.

Then the party ended. Smartphones started to look about as hip as a square. No one seems to have the courage to do anything different.

When I say Nokia could bring lots of ideas to the market, I really don't believe they will. They will settle with the standard form: a slab with glass front, home button and metal backside.

[paul]

A Nokia Android phone with a PureView camera would basically re-ignite the camera war on Android phones. This what is needed right now in smartphones market.

[John A]

Just read that hmd global oy/Foxconn (Nokia) have start producing phone inside at India again. I think that is important, because of the high import taxes for phones there.
Only the featurephones at the moment, but soon probably some Android devices to.

But I guess its a real sign they are serious to bring out the Nokia brand again.

[Winter]

@Wayne Brady
"Still, with HTC, Sony, Blackberry and Motorolla circling the drain, I'm not so sure any company outside of Samsung has what it takes to differentiate its products in a profitable way. And the Chineese continue to commodities the market"

In such a market it all depends on marketing (+design) and being able to work consistently on very sharp margins. Foxcon can do the latter, we will see whether Nokia can still deliver the brand and know-how for the former.