New Delhi: All the fans of Nokia phones might get lucky in 2016 as the Finnish manufacturer is expected to return to making mobile handsets. The once popular mobile manufacturer gave away its phone business to software giant Microsoft in 2013 owing to tough competition from rivals Apple and Samsung.
Industry sources have indicated that Nokia aims to rejoin the phone market as early as next year and has a number of ambitious technology projects running along with a possible venture in the virtual reality arena.
A report on re/code notes that the move is driven by Nokia Technologies - the smallest of the three businesses that remained after the Microsoft deal last year, alongside its mapping and network equipment businesses.
A former Nokia executive who also consulted for the company until last year as part of his last startup, Richard Kerris, says that Nokia has a lot of great stuff in development which will blow away people when it hits the market.
So far, Nokia Technologies has released only two products: an Android program- Zlauncher and the N1, an Android tablet design it licensed to another manufacturer that is selling it under the Nokia name in China. Nokia is likely to continue with this model of designing products and then license them to a company that will do the manufacturing along with sales and distribution.
The company recently acquired Alcatel-Lucent for $16.6 billion with aims to take on Ericsson. It has also announced its plans to sell off its Here maps unit in what appears to be the company's plan at remaking itself as a provider of network equipment.
While official announcements are yet to be established, a possible re-entry in the smartphone market will be a tough one for Nokia owing to the endless success rivals Apple and Samsung have been enjoying. It would not be surprising to see Nokia compete with Chinese biggies like Xiaomi and Asus to seek back its lost glory.
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