Nokia Rebuts Reports on Impending Smartphone Market Return

In direct contradiction to last week’s report published by Recode and carried by this publication, Nokia has emphatically denied any plans to start manufacturing and selling handsets anytime in the near future. This information was put forth in a recent Reuters report.

In an official statement posted on Nokia’s website, the multinational technology company pointedly refuted claims that they were intent on manufacturing consumer handsets from an R&D facility in China saying,

“Nokia notes recent news reports claiming the company communicated an intention to manufacture consumer handsets out of a R&D facility in China. These reports are false,”

However, the public announcement didn’t entirely close the door on a possible return to the smartphone world. The company has hinted at a possible return ‘into the fray’ through the avenue of brand-licensing.

It’s important to remember that Nokia sold its smartphone division to Microsoft last year. According to industry speculations, there was a clause in the agreement that specified Nokia was not to re-enter the smartphone market before 2016, possibly explaining this recent denial of immediate return.

Thus, with the current situation, tech enthusiasts expecting a nostalgic return in the form of Nokia smartphones may have to hold their breath a little while longer.