Nokia to re-enter global smartphone market with Android at MWC 2017

While there have been several reports in the recent past about Nokia's plan to make a comeback to the global mobile phone market in 2017, an official slide from Nokia's Capital Markets Day presentation has now confirmed the same.

The slide that shows "Nokia brand's return to smartphones" under the 2017 plan was shared by NokiaPowerUser. The website claims that the company is expected to unveil Android phones and tablets at MWC (Mobile World Congress) 2017. The technology trade fair is scheduled to be held from 27 February to 2 March in Barcelona.

Nokia recently confirmed that chief executive officer Rajeev Suri would deliver keynote at MWC through a post on Twitter. Previously, the company has used the MWC event as a platform to launch its phones and looks like next year the company might do the same.

Even HMD global Oy (HMD), a Finnish company that signed an agreement with Nokia Technologies for the sole use of the Nokia brand on mobile phones and tablets for the next decade, will be also be present at the MWC event.

HMD has plans to invest more than $500 million over next three years to support the marketing of Nokia-branded mobile devices. The company has agreed to acquire from Microsoft the rights to use Nokia trademark for its future phones.

Nokia was earlier rumoured to launch two phones running the latest Android Nougat operating system. Both the devices are said to be premium handsets featuring premium metallic design, and delivering Nokia feel seen on company's other devices.

A Nokia smartphone dubbed Nokia D1C was spotted on the Geekbench browser. Reports suggest this could be an Android tablet with a 13.8in screen.