That’s the kind of nostalgia that the Nokia brand will be banking on when it returns to the smartphone market next year, after selling out to Microsoft in 2013. A company set up by former Nokia employees called HMD Global has licensed the Nokia brand name from Microsoft, struck partnerships with device manufacturer Foxconn and intends to launch an Android smartphone in the early part of 2017. HMD took over the Nokia feature phone business from Microsoft on Thursday following the sale of the business in May. It will pay Nokia royalties for the brand and patents, but Nokia has no direct investment in HMD. In the UK and other smartphone-dominated markets, Nokia smartphones will have to overcome the various contenders for the world number three spot, currently held by the rising Huawei.

Source: The Guardian December 01, 2016 16:07 UTC