Microsoft have today announced the new Nokia phone to the family, the Nokia X2. The Nokia X2 is the second generation of phone in the Nokia X range which run a heavily modified version of the Android operating system – without Google Play Services.
The new phone features a 1.2GHz dual-core Snapdragon processor, 1GB RAM, a 4.3″ ClearBlack Display, a rear 5 megapixel camera with LED flash, front-facing VGA camera and dual-sim capability. The design of the device is almost identical to the previously released phones, however has been modified to sport the bigger display and a home button has been added to the bottom of the phone alongside the back button.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCA1bHO-qpM
While it’s been discussed many times that is unusual for Microsoft (Nokia) to release an Android based phone when they’re so invested in Windows Phone, the Nokia X is supposed to be a gateway into the Windows Phone ecosystem. The Nokia X2 still runs the heavily modified Android operating system and has stripped out Google Play Services – which means you’ll need to rely on Microsoft Services like Outlook, OneDrive and Skype. Android apps can be installed via the Nokia Store and any apps that require Google Play Services won’t work at all.
So it appears that Microsoft is still quite invested in releasing the Nokia X phones. Of course, the motive here is to entice people to Windows Phone by using a cheap phone and a similar interface. The Nokia X2 will be available for 99 Euros in select countries while will be available globally by July. We will be confirming release details and Australian availability with Microsoft.