Nokia on Monday indicated that it is looking for a partner to help it return to the mobile phone market, but confirmed that such a move will not happen until late next year at the earliest.
In a statement designed to address renewed media speculation on the subject, the Finnish firm reiterated that it is considering a mobile phone comeback via a brand licensing approach. That is, it will lend its name to devices produced and marketed by another company.
"We will look for the right partner who can take on the heavy lifting and work closely with us to deliver a great product," said Robert Morlino, a spokesman for Nokia Technologies.
He added that, as per its agreement with Microsoft, Nokia is not permitted to launch its own mobile phones until the fourth quarter of 2016 at the earliest.
"It’s safe to say Nokia won’t be back (at least in phone form…) before then," he said.
Nokia closed the sale of its mobile devices business, including its manufacturing, marketing and distribution capabilities, to Microsoft in April last year.
Under the terms of the deal it agreed to a non-compete clause that will keep it out of the mobile phone space until late next year, but it has dipped a toe in the tablet space.
Nokia took the wraps off its N1 Android tablet – made by Taiwan’s Foxconn – in November. Morlino’s comments suggest another tablet could be in the works, but there has been nothing more concrete than that from the vendor.
In the meantime, speculation is growing over the sale of Nokia’s mapping business Here. Last week Reuters cited unna med sources as saying that a group of German car makers, comprising BMW, Daimler and Volkswagen, are negotiating with Nokia following a cooling of interest from rival bidders.
