Microsoft may be about to acquire Nokia’s handset business but until the transaction is complete, Nokia continues to march to its own drum. As widely rumoured, it today announced its first Android-powered smartphone, the Nokia X. As expected, Nokia focuses little attention on the fact that the Nokia X runs on Android, especially as it is a heavily modified AOSP version with none of the usual Google services. Instead, the Nokia X is billed as “an affordable introduction to popular Microsoft services.”
The Nokia X comes with Fastlane, a tiled interface that will be familiar to anyone who has used Windows Phone (or will perhaps use Windows Phone as their next device). It comes with a preloaded set of apps (including some from both Microsoft and Nokia). More apps can be downloaded from the Nokia Store which replaces Google Play and offers a catalog of “curated, quality-tested apps.” Apps can also be sideloaded.
Nokia X specifications:
- Processor: 1GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4
- Operating system: Forked version of Google Android
- Cellular connectivity: HSPA/GPRS
- Other connectivity: A-GPS, 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0+HS
- Display: 4-inch WVGA (480×800/233PPI) IPS LCD
- RAM: 512MB
- Internal storage: 4GB
- External storage: MicroSD cards up to 32GB
- Rear-facing camera: 3MP FF
- Front-facing camera: None
- Connectors: 3.5mm audio jack, micro-USB
- Battery: 1,500mAh
- Dimensions: 115.5 × 63 × 10.4 millimeters
- Weight: 129 grams
- Colours: Green, Red, Cyan, Yellow, Black, White
- Other: Dual-SIM
As expected, the Nokia X will hit emerging markets. It is launching immediately across markets in Asia-Pacific, Europe, India, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa. It wil sell for €89 (about CA$135).
Source : Nokia