Although it was initially believed that Microsoft could shelve Nokia’s foray into Android after taking over the Finnish manufacturer, it seems it is continuing the experiment.
The new Nokia X2 is the first Anrdoid smartphone to be developed by the software giant, despite not being the first Nokia Android phone – that honour goes to the original X, which was released by Nokia before the Microsoft buyout.
Priced at an entry-level â¬99, the X2 has a 4.3 inch screen and a 1.2GHz dual-core Snapdragon processor, a 5MP rear camera and 4GB storage (upgradeable to 32GB via a Micro SD card).
The handset supports dual-SIM and comes with Nokia’s blend of UI experiences, including a Windows Phone-style Live Tile home screen and Nokia’s Fast Lane notifications screen. Not to mention the usual variety of preloaded Nokia and Microsoft apps, such as Skype, Outlook, OneDrive, Mix Radio and Here Maps. Of course the icing on the cake for many users will be the access to Android apps.
Overall, it’s an intriguing tactic by Microsoft to introduce smartphone buyers to its Windows services via the more popular Android OS.
Check out Nokia’s official hands-on demo video of the device below: