Microsoft and Nokia may be incredibly close partners but despite that partnership that has involved Windows Phone OS, Nokia is reportedly going to come out with a cheap Android device in the near future. The Nokia Lumia line of devices has always been considered premium, but the rumored Android phone will address the budget market rather than the high-end area of the industry.
While the operating system will be different than Windows Phone, Nokia is not going to be making a complete jump to Android. Instead, it will reportedly follow in the footsteps of Amazon by coming out with a device that is only based upon Google’s Android.
In a smartphone industry where Android and iOS devices are dominate, it makes sense that a company like Nokia would want to branch out in an attempt to grow its market share through another mobile OS. The Nokia Android phone is reportedly going to be released in emerging markets, where low-cost devices are more popular.
It was unclear just a few months ago whether or not Nokia would move forward with a release of the Android phone since it struck a deal with Microsoft. However, because the handset was in the works prior to the $7.4 billion Microsoft deal, new reports are still suggesting that Nokia will look to unveil the phone at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona near the end of February.
Android has the entry-level smartphone market almost all to itself…Microsoft’s missteps in the low-end smartphone market are costing it and Nokia huge amounts of lost volume. – Neil Mawston, analyst, Strategy Analytics
The lack of access to the Google Play Store may be a significant downside to the upcoming Nokia device, but since it reportedly has a value of just $100, consumers in emerging markets may find it quite useful.
Applications from both Microsoft and Nokia will appear on the Android handset such as mapping service Here and streaming music service MixRadio.
Summary: It now seems more likely that Nokia will be coming out with an Android smartphone, breaking away from its Windows Phone lineup. The Android device will be targeted at emerging markets and will reportedly be unveiled this month.
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