The brand will be releasing its first Android powered smartphones and tablets at the beginning of 2017.
The very first Nokia mobile devices that have seen store shelves in two years will start being sold in 2017. They will include both smartphones and tablets. Those gadgets will run on Android, said the company.
The Finnish company is now completing the last stages of a licensing agreement with HMD Global.
Through this new agreement, HMD Global holds exclusive rights to use the brand for Nokia mobile devices for the next 10 years. That company is also based in Finland. It will manufacture phones under the Nokia brand and will also continue the production of the company’s existing feature phone lineup.
Both HMD Global and Foxconn, a Chinese company, acquired Nokia from Microsoft. Foxconn was contracted for the mobile device manufacturing. The next devices released under the brand’s name will run on Android and will be available for purchase before mid-2017.
The Nokia mobile devices will be marketed on the brand’s reputation for simple, quality products.
According to Arto Nummela, HMD Global CEO, “We will be extremely true to the Nokia brand. The brand is known for simplicity, ease of use, reliability, and quality. These are the elements that we will deliver together with amazing industrial design.” That company will be making an investment of more than $500 million into marketing smartphones and tablets under the Nokia name.
Two years ago, Nokia sold its mobile hardware division to Microsoft. The acquisition was for $7.2 billion and required Nokia to stop branding its handsets until the close of this year. The company had been struggling and had already slashed its workforce from 24,000 at its highest to less than 1,000.
Microsoft didn’t do much better with the hardware division. It proceeded to sell the Nokia mobile devices brand to Foxconn and HMD Global for $350 million. This was in response to a massive 46 percent phone revenue nosedive it experienced last quarter. The companies are going ahead with new smartphones and tablets boasting the Nokia brand’s name as well as the Android operating system.
Reports are indicating that the iPhone maker is looking to broaden its wearable technology offerings.
A recent report from Bloomberg has pointed to a serious possibility for Apple augmented reality glasses in the future. This is an area where several companies have attempted to make headway in the past, but where none have managed to reach mainstream success.
Primary among those efforts was Google Glass, which is no longer being sold.
Bloomberg cited unnamed sources who are “familiar with the matter” who asked to remain anonymous. That said, they also pointed out that the Apple augmented reality glasses remain in a phase closer to the exploration level. It doesn’t appear as though these devices are anywhere near being ready for the company to sell.
The concept would be a pair of AR glasses that would wirelessly connect to an iPhone. This would allow a wearer to see the device screen displayed in front of his or her field of view. This may be displayed in augmented reality, in standard format or it could take another direction altogether.
Apple augmented reality glasses have been a topic discussed between the company and possible suppliers.
The sources for the report also stated that Apple has placed orders for limited batches of near-eye displays from one of its suppliers. They claimed that the purpose for those displays was for testing. That said, they also underscored the fact that the iPhone maker has not ordered nearly enough parts to suggest that they have any intention to launch mass production at any time soon.
If Apple decides that it would like to move forward with wearable technology glasses, one source says the earliest unveiling would be in 2018.
It’s important to remember that the company is known for testing broad spectrums of technology. While it may move forward with some, it will completely recreate others before launch or may decide to pause them or drop them altogether.
Just because there are Apple augmented reality glasses being tested, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it will be added to the company’s product lineup. As is the tradition of the company, spokespeople declined to comment on unannounced projects or upcoming products.
