Nokia reveals it’s returning to phones

Nokia may have sold its phone business to Microsoft, but that’s not stopping it from returning to its recent roots. In an interview with German publication Manager Magazin, Nokia CEO Rajeev Suri says the firm is looking at a return to the mobile phone business. "We will look for suitable partners," says Suri. "Microsoft makes mobile phones. We would simply design them and then make the brand name available to license."

Nokia is currently restricted from using its brand on phones until Q4, 2016, and it’s clear the firm plans to design hardware and then license its name out rather than build the phones itself. That’s exactly what Nokia did for its N1 tablet that runs Android. Nokia will partner with a manufacturer to closely design a handset and then simply brand the phone hardware. It’s a strategy that’s similar to Polaroid, and Nokia has promised it will license its brand where appropriate on a number of devices in the future.

Nokia’s plans to return to phones come just a day after Microsoft revealed former Nokia CEO Stephen Elop is leaving the firm. Microsoft appears to be clearing out legacy Nokia elements, and the company is merging its devices and Windows divisions under one business unit.