Ever since Microsoft bought Nokia’s services and devices divisions, there has been a number of talk points where it was believed that the Finnish giant will reboot its effort in smartphone manufacturing business. But until now Nokia kept denying any such possibility, and also it was contractually obligated from manufacturing or using its brand name on any phone until the end of 2016. But then Nokia partnered with Foxconn last year to sell a tablet called the N1, which runs Android, giving slightest of indication of its return to the game. Incidentally. Nokia’s current statement comes two months after technology outlet Re/Code reported the same — which Nokia had denied at the time.
In a statement to Reuters, Nokia CEO Rajeev Suri noted today that his company will be licensing and designing phones and getting them manufactured and sold through other third-party channels. Coincidentally, the news of Nokia’s return to smartphone business arrives a day after former Nokia CEO Stephen Elop left Microsoft. We wonder where Nokia would be today if it had never come across Stephen Elop. Probably in a much better place.
