Nokia may resurrect its phone business in 2016

Nokia may have sold its old phone business to Microsoft, but the company hasn’t ditched its roots entirely. 

In an interview with German publication Manager Magazin, company CEO Rajeev Suri says the firm is could potentially 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 restrictions

Current restrictions mean that the company can’t use its brand name on phones until Q4 2016. Instead of building handsets itself, it’s clear that the company plans to design hardware and then license its name out. It did that with the N1 tablet that runs Android. The company will join forces with a manufacturer to design a handset that features the Nokia brand name. It has promised to license its brand on a number of devices in the future.

For more on Nokia, visit What Mobile’s dedicated Nokia page.