Rumors of an Android-powered Nokia phone have been doing the rounds for a while now and have created quite a buzz. This Techspirited article brings to you all the rumors about the features and specifications of Nokia Normandy, a.k.a. Nokia X.
Nokia Normandy Rumored Release Date
Rumors are rife about Nokia releasing the Nokia Normandy (Nokia X) on 24th February 2014.
You can read all about the Nokia X series, here. Not long ago, Nokia was a name synonymous with mobile phones. The Finns ruled the mobile arena, and any other manufacturer who dared to venture into their realm was crushed and forever lost to oblivion. Things were coming along really well for the company―a little too well for their own good. Symbian was the mobile OS of choice and seemed to be totally out of this world. Meanwhile, in another part of the world, a truly alien OS, aptly named Android, was beginning to take shape. Nokia banished the emerging OS from its presence with utter disdain. Android found comfort in the company of HTC, Sony, Samsung, and LG. Seven years on, all these companies have rode on the Android wave and are fighting for top honors, with Samsung sitting pretty at the top of the mobile phone pyramid. Nokia chose to jump out of the window, and is now a frail image of its former glorious self. How the mighty have fallen!
Nokia have always been known for the phenomenal build quality of their phones. The 3310, for example, is what legends are made of. Just before its acquisition by Microsoft, the company showed sparks of brilliance with the mind-blowing cameras on board its fleet of Lumia phones running on Windows Phone. These handsets captured the fancy of many, but sadly, never really took off. Just when it all seemed to be over for the Finns, there are talks about a Nokia device with Android blood running through its veins. Could the company actually have defied the odds, and finally answered the prayers of millions of its fans? What then, about its pledged allegiance to Microsoft? Here’s all the news, rumors, and leaks of a purported phone, codenamed Nokia Normandy (Nokia X), that has got the hopes of scores of people riding on it.
Rumored Features and Specifications of Nokia Normandy
A phone for the masses
Popular tipster @evleaks is at it again, and we surely aren’t complaining. His recent leaks show a Nokia branded phone which supposedly runs on Android v4.4.1 KitKat. The phone in the leaked image could easily pass for another phone from the Lumia series, and in fact, seems to have the same DNA as the Lumia 520. It’s purported specifications read – 1.2 GHz dual-core processor, 512 MB RAM, 4 GB internal storage + microSD card slot (up to 64 GB), 5 MP camera, 4-inch screen (800 x 480 pixels), 1,500 mAh battery, and a dual-SIM slot. While the specs of the Nokia X might seem like a far cry from those on most high-end Android phones, it would surely give the mid-range phones from the other galaxy a good run for their money with its brilliant build quality. The Lumia 520 has already proved it mettle and is, by far, the highest selling Windows phone, but Android is a different ball game altogether.
Android peeping out of a Window
Another leaked image by @evleaks shows the phone’s highly customized UI. Windows Phone’s influence can be seen all around, with Live Tiles looking as beautiful as ever. In fact, if it weren’t for the Blackberry app seen in the screenshot (Blackberry currently does not support Windows Phone), we would have easily mistaken this for another Windows Phone home screen. As mentioned earlier, the phone would probably run on Android v4.4.1 as revealed by a leaked AnTuTu benchmark screenshot. This makes sense as KitKat is touted to run smoothly even on 512 MB of RAM. If you aren’t a fan of the Window Phone UI, you may want to turn away right now, although, you always have the option to install a third-party launcher.
Nokia probably won’t let Google come out and Play
Nokia, an acquisition of Windows Phone OS maker Microsoft, running on its rival Android OS? There’s gotta be a catch, right? As you may know, the selling point of an Android-powered phone is the treasure trove of apps available on Google Play. This is also where Google makes most of its money from the phones. Well, according to @evleaks, Nokia isn’t gonna play nice with Google. The Nokia X will skip Google Play in favor of its own app store. This would mean that only a fraction of the many apps from Google’s app store would make their way on to the phone. There are also rumors of other Google services like Google Search, Google Now, Google Maps, Gmail, Youtube, Google Calendar, etc., being replaced by similar services offered by Nokia. TheGioididong, however, reports that all Google services would remain intact on the phone. Whatever the case be, you would always have the option to side-load Google Play on the phone. Regular users though, would not be too pleased to be short-changed of the many Google apps that make Android special.
Nokia could choose to call its phone the Nokia Savannah, for all we care, but Nokia X surely rolls a lot easier off the tongue. All that matters is that, somewhere deep in our hearts, we all want Nokia to succeed. The Finnish phones have, in the past, been part of happy tales of our lives, and have captured the imagination of scores of people across the world. It probably was the first ever mobile phone for most of us. Emotions aside, the Nokia Normandy has the makings of a great phone, and one that we truly would love to see in flesh and blood (figuratively of course!) Google’s phenomenal OS and Nokia’s legendary hardware are truly what dreams are made of! Here’s hoping that this isn’t the result of a true Nokia lover’s night of binge drinking, wishful thinking, an overactive imagination, and a bit of Photoshop in the mix! I guess we’ll soon find out. For now, the Nokia Normandy rumors just refuse to die down, lending just a little bit of credibility to the entire story. We’ll keep you updated with all the news, as and when it happens. Stay tuned for more. Cheers.