Elop: Microsoft will continue selling Android smartphones post Nokia acquisition

BY Valerie Richardson

Published 29 Apr 2014

Nokia X

Nokia’s previous CEO, Stephen Elop, has mentioned that Microsoft will continue selling Android phones after its acquisition of Nokia is complete. However, he mentioned that the Nokia brand might not live on for long and efforts to come up with a new brand name are already underway. The company’s Nokia X lineup has received lukewarm response across the globe, so the company would clearly want to better the sales with the rest of the lineup and potential future iterations.

Elop didn’t give away details on what the new brand name might be, but clarified that it would roll off the tongue easier. “The Nokia brand is available to Microsoft to use for its mobile phones products for a period of time, but Nokia as a brand will not be used for long going forward for smartphones. Work is underway to select the go forward smartphone brand.”

This could also mean bad news for Nokia’s low-end devices such as the Asha series, which sell decently in developing regions. But since these changes will only take effect in the coming years, there’s no need to be alarmed yet, especially if you’re a Nokia shareholder.

Nokia appointed Rajeev Suri as the new CEO earlier, so it’s clear that plenty of other changes are forthcoming. It is likely that Stephen Elop will be given a top level position in the Microsoft board for ensuring a smooth transition.

[Nokia Conversations via BGR]