14 DAY TRIAL // It appears that Nokia did not ruled out completely the launch of an Android device after all. Although the Finnish company decided to go all out with Microsoft's Windows Phone platform, Nokia fans who would had preferred the handset maker would try its hand on some Android devices will be pleased to know their dream may come true.
The Verge reports the previously leaked Nokia Normandy that we originally thought it will bring the gap between the Lumia and Asha series much closer, is in fact a budget-friendly smartphone powered by Google Android operating system.
However, the Normandy is said to run a “forked” version of Android that has little to do with Google's stock variant, much closer to what Amazon is doing currently with the Kindle Fire series.
Nokia Normandy has no issues running some of the most important Android applications, Skype including. The smartphone has been especially developed as an Asha equivalent, but with a much larger potential due to access to Android's ecosystem.
Unfortunately, there's no telling if the Nokia Normandy will ever get launched on the market after Nokia's acquisition by Microsoft, but The Verge claims all Nokia employees working on the phone have been informed the handset is most likely to get released sometime in 2014.
Moreover, the Normandy project is said to be “full Steam ahead,” which might mean that Nokia is really determined to bring its first Android smartphone on the market.
It would be interesting to know whether or not Microsoft is already aware of Nokia's plans to launch the Normandy and how the Redmond-based company feels about it.
If Microsoft-Nokia deal closes before the Normandy gets to be released, it's unclear if the former would be interested to launch an Android device that will surely compete with its own Windows Phone platform. Stay tuned for more on this one.