Microsoft exec says two Nokia phones to be released this year, and two more before June 2017

Just when everyone thought it was done for good, Nokia keeps coming back. Microsoft’s acquisition of Nokia’s mobile division turned out to be a disaster for both companies. The world’s former top mobile phone manufacturer is past its glory days and has not released a smartphone since December 2014, but the brand is still beloved by its followers.

The last smartphone produced by Nokia was the Lumia 638, which was released almost two years ago. The company has since been making feature phones exclusively, with Nokia 216 being the latest, expected to be out by the end of October.

But after being dormant the last couple of years, Nokia is now expected to re-enter the smartphone world and explore new boundaries, having decided against operating like a typical mobile phone-maker. It released its currently lone Android tablet, the Nokia N1, back in January 2015, but now the Finnish company wants to do more.

Nokia has handed over commercial rights to develop phones under its moniker to HMD Global, a company co-founded by former Nokia executives Arto Nummela and Florian Seiche. HMD Global will reportedly own Nokia’s commercial licenses for 10 years. A handful of handsets are expected to be launched both this year and the next.

James Rutherfoord, Microsoft Asia’s CEO of mobile device commodities, was quoted in Vietnamese media (via Phone Arena), saying that HMD Global intends to release two Nokia feature phones between October and December this year, and at least two smartphones by the second quarter of 2017.

Nokia is set to make an appearance at the Mobile World Congress 2017, but it is not expected for the company to announce its developing plans at said event. Nokia fans have been waiting for years for the company to launch Android-operated devices. The rumours that have been going around only add fuel to the burning anticipation.