Some rumors just refuse to die, and this Android-based Nokia device is just one of them. Although the most recent word surrounding this odd ball is that it is most likely to be shelved, a pair of leaked photos show just how far along this Nokia Normandy really is.
Rumors of Nokia making Android smartphones surfaced around the time Microsoft publicly revealed their intention to buy out the former smartphone giant. Of course, this news was strange in itself, considering how Nokia, under Elop’s management, has thrown away other mobile platforms it had under its belt and stubbornly stuck to Windows Phone and Asha to become the proverbial third horse in the race.
Of course that’s not to say that Nokia wouldn’t have played around with some prototypes to gather some ideas. But to have mass produced some units, as much as 10,000, as Nokia’s backup plan is somewhat hard to believe. Now we’re seeing actual photos of the supposed device, showing what seems to be a strange mix of Android’s status bar at the top, with an icon theme that hearkens back to the MeeGo days of old, for those who can still remember that stillborn OS. Here we also have what seems to be dual SIM support indicated by two mobile signal icons at the top. We also catch a glimpse of the smartphone in its engineering prototype garb, sporting the usual, and usually ineffective, “do not leak” case.
Some hold that now that Microsoft has bought out Nokia’s mobile business, what remains of the Finnish company might be free to do as it pleases and push through with Android-based mobile devices as they see fit. Of course, that is still an unlikely scenario given the strong ties between the two companies. Stranger things have happened, however, and only time will tell if we will ever see the Nokia Normandy come to pass.
Wow, if thats what they think their version of Android should look like…..then go ahead and scrap the project.
I think, that Microsoft is trying to convince us, that we don’t want Nokia with Android… because there is no other explanation for this heavy-themed ugly low-end with the UI which looks like from 80’s Tron movie
This thing is ugly on every level. If this is what Nokia thinks Android should be, then please do not make an Android device.