Nokia's return to the smartphone game has long been awaited since Microsoft's $7.2 billion buyout of its mobile devices business in 2014.
Now freed from the legal bonds that kept the Finnish company from competing with Microsoft, fresh leaks of a phone rumored to be the Nokia C1 could be the mark of its comeback to the industry.
The leaked images of the phone reveal that the unit retains that classic boxy Nokia look. This phone, speculated to be the Nokia C1, sports an all-metal design reminiscent of the HTC One series. In fact, it's even got the M-like antenna bands running around the backside of the device.
The Internet grapevine further speculates that the device is about 5 to 5.5 inches in size. At the very least, the "NOKIA" brand is stamped on the rear of the phone, confirming its made by the Finnish company. Unfortunately, it is unclear if this is a prototype left over from either before or during the Microsoft acquisition.
Besides the mysterious Nokia C1 rumors spreading on the Web, the same Nokia images have been found, but this report calls the smaller black and gray device the Nokia 235. It is not stated in the reports who gets to brand and number these handsets, but the supposed Nokia 235 will go back to Nokia's feature phone roots.
Like the Nokia of yesteryear, the 235 is expected to have an old-school alpha-numeric keyboard, but with a 2.8-inch screen, a 2-megapixel rear camera, dual SIM support, and will run the S30 Asha operating system. Long battery life is what we loved about Nokia's classic handsets and they should be bringing that back in this unit.
Not quite the feature phone nor the Android smartphone people has been expecting (that may just be the Nokia C1 instead), the Nokia 235 will be priced quite affordably, somewhere around the $75 range. Nonetheless, Nokia is still expected to drop three Android smartphone models this year, ranging between 5, 5.5, and 6 inches.
When Microsoft bought Nokia years ago, the Finnish phone manufacturer was then the biggest seller of Windows Phone units. Samsung and HTC made Windows Phones too, but they weren't as successful at it as Nokia.
The non-compete clause in the deal between the two companies prevented Nokia from releasing smartphones under the Nokia brand, but that expired on Dec. 31, 2015. Now, Nokia is free to take another stab at the smartphone market, and this time, hopefully it's an Android.
Rumors can only take us so far, of course. However, a promotional video released by Nokia just a few days ago reveals what could be its next few devices. The Nokia OZO, the world's first virtual reality camera system designed for professional use, makes a clear and obvious appearance in the video.
Besides a large tablet, three phones also made an appearance in the video. The first phone looks to be a mid-sized smartphone. It's not branded; just plain white. But two women appear to be taking a selfie with it under the rain. The second phone is even harder to make out, but it does have a large camera lens on the back. The third and final phone in the video may just be the Nokia 235 mentioned above, only in red.
This year may be the hottest year of smartphones yet with Nokia's return to the market. New players are always welcome, because such entries tend to push competitors to innovate more as well. Whether it's a feature phone, another Windows Phone, or finally a real Android phone, Nokia's return will surely be well-received.
Photo: Are Sjøberg | Flickr
