Nokia Reportedly Tested Android-Powered Lumia Smartphones

Lumia handsets running Android were being tested well before acquisition discussions took place.

Over the last few years, the Nokia brand has become synonymous with Windows Phone — and even more so ever since Microsoft announced plans to acquire the Finnish company's smartphone division — but as it turns out, Nokia had been exploring the possibility of making Android phones at some point in its future as well. Via The Verge, the New York Times reports that a team within Nokia had created versions of its popular Lumia handsets that ran the Android operating system, well before talks of the proposed Microsoft acquisition took place.

While its unknown exactly what Nokia was planning to do with these devices, the company did have the option of leaving its partnership with Microsoft at the end of 2014, so it may have just been preparing its devices for a potential switch to Android should its Windows Phone venture not work out as planned. Microsoft executives were reportedly aware of Nokia's alleged Android project, but it is said to have played no direct role in discussions regarding the acquisition. However, with more than 80 percent of sold Windows Phone devices sporting the Nokia name, it's clear to see how important the handset manufacturer has become for Microsoft's mobile efforts and how critical the acquisition is for its future.
It's tough to predict how the company would have performed in the crowded Android market, especially with powerhouse Samsung in the lead, but the thought of a smartphone with Nokia's hardware design and PureView camera running the latest version of Jelly Bean is intriguing, nonetheless. If the Microsoft acquisition goes through as planned, though, we won't see another Nokia-branded smartphone, Android or otherwise, for at least the next 10 years.