Nokia smartphones will probably be history for good by the beginning of 2026

In March 2026, the era of Nokia smartphones may end for good. The current licensee, HMD Global, which has been manufacturing cell phones and smartphones under the once venerable brand since 2017, will lose its exclusive license. Network equipment provider Nokia, as licensor, no longer appears to be interested in selling the brand rights.

After Nokia: HMD opts for its own brand

HMD Global secured the use of the Nokia brand for smartphones after Microsoft gave up its rights to the Nokia brand in 2016. The company, which was founded by former Nokia employees, attracted attention with the models presented in 2017 and 2018, such as a new edition of the Nokia 3310 or the legendary "banana phone" 8110. The manufacturer also offers Android smartphones under the brand, which are positioned in the entry-level to mid-range segment.

However, despite the once strong brand, HMD Global was unable to match the success of the pre-iPhone era with its Nokia devices. The manufacturer only achieved significant market shares with its feature phones.

It has been clear for a while that the days of Nokia phones are numbered: The company has been working on bringing its own HMD brand more to the fore since 2023. In addition to smartphones, the manufacturer now also sells feature phones under its own name –. Even the model first launched as the Nokia 3210 is being offered in new colors and in partnership with the Spanish soccer club FC Barcelona as the HMD Barça 3210.

In addition, the Nokia models have almost completely disappeared from view on the HMD website. A link to the models can only be found in the footer, but the models listed on Unterseite are all "no longer available". Despite the clear signs, HMD said noch early 2024 that it would continue to offer products under the Nokia brand. Heise online has asked HMD for a further statement.

Nokia: Exclusive deal ends, no interest in new partners

For licensor and network supplier Nokia, however, the matter seems largely clear: March 2026 is the end of the line. When asked, the company referred to the license deal, which was published in an annual report. This states:

"In 2016, Nokia entered into a strategic agreement with HMD Global Oy (HMD) granting HMD an exclusive worldwide license to manufacture Nokia-branded cell phones and tablets for a period of 10 years. Under this agreement, Nokia receives royalties from HMD for the sale of Nokia-branded cell phones and tablets, covering both brand and patent licensing. In August 2023, Nokia and HMD amended the license agreement such that HMD's exclusive license to manufacture Nokia-branded devices expires in March 2026."

The company did not wish to make any further statements on the HMD agreement beyond the information contained in the annual report. Nokia merely added that "brand licensing is a very small part of Nokia's business". Nokia's brand strategy is focused on its core B2B technology business.

Nokia also made it clear that speculation about the search for new brand partners for mobile devices was not true. This means that the end of Nokia-Phone may indeed be sealed.

(afl)