When Microsoft initiated a purchase of Nokia back in September, a lot of Android fans let out a defeated sigh: there was no way the company would ever release Android-powered hardware. Well hold on to your dreams, true believers, because multiple leaks indicate that a new Nokia phone will indeed run Google's open-source OS.
An image posted back in November by @evleaks, which showed a red Nokia device, is now being reported as the company’s first step into the Android realm. As reported by The Verge, the device, which is codenamed Normandy internally, is supposedly set to launch in 2014 running a forked version of Android – much like Amazon does with its Kindle line of tablets. According to one source inside Nokia, Normandy is “full steam ahead.”
The device is said to be a low-cost unit, allowing those at lower income levels to have full access to helpful applications and mobile Internet capabilities. As of right now, it apparently supports Skype (naturally) and other popular Android applications.
What makes Nokia’s interest in the Android OS a bit more interesting, is that Microsoft recently announced the purchase of Nokia, but the deal is still not completely finalized. From what the new report states, Nokia could look to push this device out before Microsoft attempts to axe its plans, given that it is safe to assume that Microsoft would rather push its Windows Mobile OS instead of helping Google any further in emerging markets.
In any case, the Normandy is a project from a very different company than the one Nokia is now, or will be later. Even if it is released, and it does run Android, it certainly won't herald a change for the company at large. Nokia's more widespread devices in all segments of the mobile market will run Windows, and only Windows, in the immediate future.
0 comments:
Post a Comment