Microsoft to axe Nokia X smartphone range

The Nokia X devices were described by then CEO Stephen Elop as a “Lumia feeder” that would help customers transition from low-cost phones to more expensive phones.

July 17, 2014 06:57 pm | Updated November 16, 2021 07:35 pm IST - CHENNAI:

U.S software giant Microsoft, on Thursday, indicated that it would put its Nokia X range of mobile phones, which run on the open source version of Android, on the back burner.

Nokia, which was recently acquired by Microsoft, created a new smartphone platform that would fit between its low-cost Asha devices and Windows Phone-powered Lumia smartphones.

The Nokia X devices, which run on a forked version of Google’s Android operating system, were described by then CEO Stephen Elop as a “Lumia feeder” that would help customers transition from low-cost phones to more expensive phones.

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella’s memo to employees on Thursday however indicates that this strategy will no longer be executed. The new strategy would have several Nokia X products become Lumia smartphones that run Windows software instead.

“We plan to shift select Nokia X product designs to become Lumia products running Windows. This builds on our success in the affordable smartphone space and aligns with our focus on Windows Universal Apps,” Mr. Nadella said in a letter to the company’s employees.

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