Rumours and speculation about the continuation of Nokia’s mobile brand have been swirling ever since the once-great company announced in May 2016 that it would return to creating mobile devices through an exclusive ten-year licensing agreement with HMD Global.
Now the brand has offered a more specific details on its upcoming comeback, with the launch of a phones section on its official website that states the company will be back in the game with new smartphones in 2017. It also features a space where interested consumers can sign up to receive updates on the forthcoming Android-powered Nokia smartphones.
While these won’t be the first Nokia-branded devices to run Android — the 2014 Nokia X ran an Android-Windows hybrid OS and its N1 tablet also ran Android — the smartphones will likely be much closer to stock than ever before, and represent a significant step forward in the brand’s history.
Recently, specs and images of one of the company’s Android smartphones emerged, revealing a Snapdragon 430 processor, two size variants and, potentially, a meager 16GB of internal storage.
In May 2016, Microsoft sold Nokia’s feature phone division and branding assets to Foxconn subsidiary FIH Mobile and HMD. In the same month, HMD announced it was granted an exclusive ten-year license to produce phones under the Nokia brand.
Related: Specs leak for Nokia’s rumoured D1C Android smartphone, report indicates two sizes
