Nokia smartphone comeback may be in the cards by 2016

With so many smartphone brands competing for our attention now, it’s easy to forget that once upon a time, there was this dominant force that ruled above all. Yes, Nokia may be a brittle shell of its former self, but that doesn’t mean that it’s down and out for the count. Rumors are starting to float around the industry once again that the Finnish firm is actually laying the groundwork for a big comeback, mobile phone wise, by 2016.

They sold the handset business to Microsoft late 2013 and they have a non-compete clause that will run out by 2016. But industry insiders are saying that even before they can technically open a new smartphone business, they are already trying to establish the groundwork so they will be ready. They have been hiring software developers in their technology division as well as product developers and even Android engineers that are familiar with the OS that Nokia will eventually use for their future devices.

Despite focusing on telecoms network equipment since they gave up their handset business, Nokia has also been pretty busy on other fronts. In terms of consumer products, they launched last January their N1 Android tablet and also the Z Launcher app, meant to organize apps and content on Android smartphones. HERE, a mapping and navigation app was also a fairly successful endeavor, but they recently announced that they have sold it to an automobile consortium. And just more recently, they unveile their “virtual reality camera” which they claim is the “rebirth of Nokia”.

Nokia CEO Rajeev Suri has had a change of heart from last year’s statement that they will not be going back into the handset business, to last June’s confirmation that yes, they will indeed be making a comeback, but this time, they “would simply design them and then make the brand name available to license”. Let’s see if the tune will remain the same by next year.

VIA: Reuters