Nokia Comeback

Nokia, which was once the world’s dominant cellphone maker, is going to make a comeback in 2017.

15:53 16 December 2016

Nokia smartphones are coming back next year after the company has licensed the handset brand from Microsoft and struck up partnerships with Google and phone manufacturer Foxconn. 

 

Nokia, which was once the world’s dominant cellphone maker, quit smartphone in 2014 following its decision to use Microsoft’s unpopular Windows operating system for its “Lumia” range. 

 

The comeback may happen in early 2017 with the release of a new Nokia smartphone that runs on Google’s Android operating system. 

 

Nokia veteran Arto Nummela, who leads HMD Global, said: 'We want to be one of the key competitive players in the smartphone business.’

 

Mobile phone analyst Ben Wood of CCS Insight thinks that Nokia still has a shot in the cutthroat smartphone industry. He said: 'For a new entrant, having an established brand provides it with an instant on-ramp. The barriers to entry for the Android phone space are low. What HMD has is the Nokia brand and management experience. 

 

HMD is owned by Smart Connect LP, a private equity fund run by Jean-Francois Baril, who was once in charge of Nokia's world-leading supply chain management system.