The Nokia X2, pictured above, is the latest device to run Android from Nokia, and perhaps more interesting, Nokia. Since Nokia announced that they were abandoning their Symbian platform, the thoughts of Nokia hardware running Android software from Google seemed like a dream come true to a lot of users. Of course, we all know what happened, Nokia got into bed with Microsoft and the newly created Lumia line as ran Windows Phone software ever since then. Microsoft now owns Nokia’s handset business and new devices like the X2 line of Android devices will be hitting shelves with Microsoft branding on them. A new rumor now suggests that Nokia and Microsoft could be working on a Lumia device running Android.
It’s arguable that the Lumia line is getting a little crowded now, with devices using numerical values that often don’t make that much sense, but it’s also the one line of Windows Phone devices that helps sell Microsoft’s mobile platform into the market. So, when @evleaks says there’s a Lumia coming with Android instead of Windows Phone, it’s kind of a big deal. After all, Microsoft and Nokia have often criticized Android for many reasons and while the Nokia X perhaps needs Android to run properly on such low-end hardware,the Lumia line is something of a flagship line for Microsoft right now.
It might be their flagship lineup, but lots of different price points are covered by the Lumia lineup and Nokia have gone to great lengths to kick Google out of their Android builds and bake Microsoft in. So, if the two companies have gone to such lengths in getting Microsoft services running on Android, it perhaps makes sense for them to use it on more than just hardware for emerging markets. The question is though, if such a device were to hit the market, would it be well received? Would it just confuse consumers looking for a Lumia device?