By The Nokia/Android relationship hasn’t quite solidified over the years. It was long thought that the Finnish company would look to replace their aging Symbian-driven feature phone business with low-cost Androids, but the company never did that. Their failed attempt at leveraging the Linux-based Meego platform also prompted folks to guess that they’d soon be calling to Android.
But Nokia decided to side with Windows, and stood firmly by that decision. They went as far as saying OEMs using Android for a short-term growth plan was about as good as Finnish boys peeing in their pants to keep warm in the winter. It wasn’t long after that funny statement that the company announced they’d be swallowed up under Microsoft’s big umbrella.
Something interesting happened today, though — it was revealed that Nokia actually does have an Android device in the pipeline. What you see above is called the Nokia Normandy, a device that was under our noses for quite some time but slipped by the radar undetected. Twitter leakster @evleaks showed us a pretty clear shot of this thing back in November, but what we didn’t know is that this thing was built to run Android.
Before you get too excited, The Verge reports that this version of Android was forked and customized so heavily that we probably wouldn’t recognize it, not unlike the offerings you see on the likes of Amazon’s Kindle Fire line or the Barnes and Noble nook family of devices. The handset was in the works before the Microsoft deal was finalized, so its future is still a bit iffy.
There’s no indication what Microsoft will elect to do — will they let Nokia go ahead and release the device, or will they block the OEM from adding to a competitor’s already dominant ecosystem? We’d seriously doubt the former scenario, but crazier things have happened.
I’ve always wished for an Android Nokia N8 or N900
hardly competing, Microsoft makes a lot of money off Android ;)
Not for long. At least in Germany http://www.neowin.net/news/microsofts-android-royalties-in-danger-as-german-court-invalidates-fat-patent
this matters in the real world because?
Dammit! I would LOVE an Android Nokia! I love the feel and form of the Nokias, but couldn’t deal with the os.
Could this be the often-rumoured Amazon Kindle Phone?
No Android manufacturer would go near Amazon’s fork, for fear of losing access to Google’s Play Store and the genuine Google Apps.
Nokia has already pee’d on Android, a Kindle Phone would be a logical step, PLUS it lets parent company Microsoft take another shot at eating away at Google’s market share.
Just a thought.
Normandy would be Nokia’s Android mobile http://fixxet.blogspot.com/2013/12/normandy-nokia-android-mobile-nokia-normandy.html
This is so incredibly ugly. I think Nokia could do a tremendous job making a phone for Android but this phone is hideous. But all of this means nothing considering Microsoft hates Google with every fiber of their soul and would sell said soul to the devil to destroy Android if at all possible. Luckily for us, Microsoft has already sold their soul to devil.
Awe, either way the phone can go die in a fire, if they take Android and pull an “Amazon” on it so badly that normal apps can’t even run on it without requiring custom code, well then… they can go die in a fire, much how I feel about Amazon and their “tainted” version of Android.
I mean, I know that Android is all about people having the ability to do stuff like that, but totally gimping the OS… well… first of all, there’s no WAY I’d opt for something like that, and if I ever get my hands on something like that for free, I will praise the Lord for Cyanogenmod and flash it so fast your head will spin!
Nokia just pissed all over themselves.
http://phandroid.com/2010/09/21/nokia-going-the-android-route-is-like-peeing-in-your-pants-for-warmth/
To all who think this is an android device… Its an Asha platform device. See the switch in the middle its a single one like asha not three like android
That’s a watermark…
or maybe not. Didn’t get a good enough look at it the first time.
Its not.. Check other news/ photos leaked by evleaks they only have @evleaks watermarks
Not interested anymore now that they are owned by m$
Sorry Nokia, you are two years late.
The party has come and gone.
I would really be interested in phone similar to thr lumia 1080 running pure android. A gimped version of android? Not so much.
Customization won’t matter if it runs my apps natively. Nokia, I’m yours, now make a high-end device.
give me a Nokia phone with a crazy camera and this years specs and id be all over it too bad thats not gonna happen
It’s a start.
…of the end.
its on ginger bread Nokia that’s like Nokia pissed on their own pants
Interesting…but the real question is…will it have snake?…hmm
The first snow flake just fell in hell
Newkia (name to later change) was reported to be started by the Pacific Rim’s Nokia CEO and geared to be only making Android phones. Apparently this guy wanted to go Android but his decision was overruled when they went with MS. Whatever they name the new company, it’s said to be composed of former Nokia employees and will focus on making phones like the Lumia series, but with Android. Hope it works out and we get some great ‘Nokia’ Android phones next year.
ugh the thought of Android(Fork or not) on Nokia devices makes me shudder lol.
I do hope this never sees the light of day.
While I do like Android on HTC devices like the one, i’d prefer not to see it on Nokia devices which definitely look better with WP.