Nokia hasn't made phones for years, but it isn't finished milking its name yet
TL;DR Nokia has confirmed via Reddit that it's looking to team up with phone makers for licensing opportunities.
The company was answering a question regarding future licensing deals for mobile phones.
This also comes as HMD and Nokia's partnership draws to an end.
HMD and Nokia have been winding down their brand licensing partnership in recent years. This deal saw HMD releasing smartphones and feature phones under the Finnish brand's name. Nokia has now taken to an unlikely avenue to confirm that it's still looking for new partners.
The official Nokia Community Manager account confirmed on Reddit (via Mobilissimo) that the company is looking for a 'large scale mobile manufacturer' who wants to explore 'collaboration opportunities.' Check out the screenshot below.
This is an interesting way for Nokia to reveal that it wants to license the Nokia brand to another phone maker. To be fair, the company was responding to a user query regarding brand licensing. This answer nevertheless suggests that Nokia hasn't found a new partner as the HMD deal winds down.
Is it even worth licensing the Nokia name anymore?
This news comes almost two years after HMD announced that it would make smartphones under its own name. However, the company still offers Nokia-branded feature phones. It's believed HMD's licensing deal with Nokia will expire in 2026.
Do you think a new phone maker should license the Nokia name?
0 votes
Yes, absolutely
NaN %
Maybe, it depends on the company
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No, this ship sailed a long time ago
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HMD acquired many Nokia-related patents as part of the deal, had many ex-Nokia employees, and released numerous modern takes on classic devices. The upstart company also released the ambitious but flawed Nokia 9 PureView flagship phone, but failed to follow up with more flagship phones. Instead, the company switched to mid-tier releases and repairable phones. More recently, the company announced it will exit the US, citing the 'challenging geopolitical and economic environment.'
Despite HMD's challenges, I'm not sure any other brand can do much better with the Nokia name. A larger company might be able to release more cutting-edge Nokia-branded flagships and offer more marketing and R&D resources. However, HMD still fell short despite its unique aforementioned advantages. Furthermore, I'm guessing the Nokia brand has significantly waned among younger users. That means you probably shouldn't hold your breath for the Nokia name to challenge Samsung, Apple, and others again.
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