Nokia has finally unveiled to the world its first Android line of smartphones, dubbed the Nokia X. We've been hearing countless rumors of Nokia's intention to create its own Android device, and this week, the company has done the unthinkable right on the heels of Microsoft's acquisition of its hardware business - release a new line of Android-powered smartphones.
Early rumors would have us believe the company would announce just a single Android device, but that wasn't the case. Nokia announced three low-end smartphones with Android inside, and they all have a striking resemblance to Windows Phone due to the tiled user interface, and a resemblance to the Asha line of devices due to the hardware design.
The phones are known as the Nokia X, Nokia X+, and Nokia XL.
The Nokia X is sporting a 4-inch WVGA display at 800 x 480 resolution, 512MB of RAM, 1GHz dual core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, 4GB internal memory, MicroSD card slot, 1500mAh battery, and a 5-megapixel camera. The Nokia X+ is the same device, but with increased memory and storage, while the Nokia XL differentiates itself with a 5-inch WVGA display, 2-megapixel front facing camera, and 5-megapixel camera at the rear.
While these devices are Android powered, interesting persons should not go in expecting to see Google apps or even the Google Play Store. What Nokia has done here is similar to what Amazon has done, which is called forking. Instead of giving users the Google experience, Nokia has chosen to preinstall its own apps, such as HERE Maps and Nokia Music. Furthermore, users would be able to find some Microsoft-related apps on the Nokia X line of devices, as well. Apps such as OneDrive, Skype, and Outlook.com are available, proving that these devices might just be a ploy to get more users to engage in Microsoft and Nokia services than anything else.
In addition, the devices will offer access to Nokia's own app store, along with third-party app stores like Yandex.
If you're thinking that the launch of the Android smartphones was an insulting slap on Microsoft's face, you're wrong. The software giant is also in on this plan and the company will offer an extra 1GB of storage, and free Skype minutes for a month to those who purchase a Nokia X. X+ or XL.
The Nokia X is available right now for purchase in Asia Pacific, Europe, india, Latin America, the Middle-East and Africa. The other two will go on sale in the second quarter of 2014.
