Skip to main content

Microsoft axes Nokia X Android project, cuts 18,000 jobs

Ding dong, the Nokia X is dead. In a move the surprised absolutely no one, but disappointed almost everyone, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella announced that the Nokia X smartphone line will no longer run Android OS. Microsoft will gradually convert all of its X devices to Windows Phone and manufacturer nary an Android device more. This announcement comes right after the company announced plans to cut 18,000 jobs.

The first smartphone in the Nokia X line debuted right before Microsoft’s purchase of Nokia’s devices and services division was finalized. At the time, Android fans were excited about the device, even though they were fully aware that Microsoft would probably axe the project in the immediate future.

The first Nokia X was a low budget affair with heavy nods to Microsoft layered on top of Android, but it represented a world of possibilities. Some Android fans really like the Nokia Lumia’s design aesthetic and were excited to see one running a version of Android.

Then, the purchase went through and Microsoft got its grubby hands all over Nokia’s Lumia business. Months later when rumors of yet another Android-based Nokia X smartphone surfaced, there was widespread confusion. After all, why on Earth would Microsoft make an Android device?

The Nokia X2 continued in the same vein as the first X handset, but with slightly better specs. Some expressed tentative hope that Microsoft would keep the Android project going, so as to sell budget smartphones. That dream is dead.

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

It’s unclear which Nokia X devices will convert to Windows Phone, but if only one of them does, it will probably be the newer X2. As for Microsoft’s Android plans, it looks like they’re off the roadmap for good.

Malarie Gokey
Former Digital Trends Contributor
As DT's Mobile Editor, Malarie runs the Mobile and Wearables sections, which cover smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, and…
AT&T just made it a lot easier to upgrade your phone
AT&T Storefront with logo.

Do you want to upgrade your phone more than once a year? What about three times a year? Are you on AT&T? If you answered yes to those questions, then AT&T’s new “Next Up Anytime” early upgrade program is made for you. With this add-on, you’ll be able to upgrade your phone three times a year for just $10 extra every month. It will be available starting July 16.

Currently, AT&T has its “Next Up” add-on, which has been available for the past several years. This program costs $6 extra per month and lets you upgrade by trading in your existing phone after at least half of it is paid off. But the new Next Up Anytime option gives you some more flexibility.

Read more
Motorola is selling unlocked smartphones for just $150 today
Someone holding the Moto G Stylus 5G (2024).

Have you been looking for phone deals but don’t want to spend a ton of money on flagship devices from Apple and Samsung? Have you ever considered investing in an unlocked Motorola? For a limited time, the company is offering a $100 markdown on the Motorola Moto G 5G. It can be yours for just $150, and your days and nights of phone-shopping will finally be over!

Why you should buy the Motorola Moto G 5G
Powered by the Snapdragon 480+ 5G CPU and 4GB of RAM, the Moto G delivers exceptional performance across the board. From UI navigation to apps, games, and camera functions, you can expect fast load times, next to no buffering, and smooth animations. You’ll also get up to 128GB of internal storage that you’ll be able to use for photos, videos, music, and any other mobile content you can store locally. 

Read more
The Nokia 3210 is the worst phone I’ve used in 2024
A person holding the Nokia 3210, showing the screen.

Where do I even start with the Nokia 3210? Not the original, which was one of the coolest phones to own back in a time when Star Wars: Episode 1 -- The Phantom Menace wasn’t even a thing, but the latest 2024 reissue that has come along to save us all from digital overload, the horror of social media, and the endless distraction that is the modern smartphone.

Except behind this facade of marketing-friendly do-goodery hides a weapon of torture, a device so foul that I’d rather sit through multiple showings of Jar Jar Binks and the gang hopelessly trying to bring back the magic of A New Hope than use it.
The Nokia 3210 really is that bad

Read more