Nokia to announce Android smartphone later this month: reports 

Although the news has yet to be confirmed by Nokia, the WSJ says it will almost certainly be unveiling this new product – code-named Normandy – at the Mobile World Congress at the end of February, despite the imminent sale of its mobile phone business to Microsoft.

Critics have suggested that Microsoft will nip Nokia’s Android phone in the bud, since Google is one of its top competitors, but others are less sure that Microsoft will take that route.

Though controversial, the move could be a way to boost Windows’ struggling performance in the mobile market. According to the WSJ, “Microsoft appears willing to outsource part of its phone lineup to Android to boost volumes and support its handset manufacturing operation. “

At the very least, it will give Microsoft some time to build its reputation as a maker of mobile handsets and more adequately compete with industry heavyweights such as the Samsung Galaxy and the iPhone.

Unlike other Android smartphones, however, Nokia’s phone won’t be able to access the Google Play store or certain Google-developed apps.

The phone will instead come pre-installed with apps developed by Microsoft and Nokia, such as Here, a mapping service, and MixRadio, a music streaming service.