In October 2014, Nokia and China Mobile signed a US$970 million framework deal for delivery

between 2014 and 2015.[139]

On 17 November 2014, Nokia Technologies head Ramzi Haidamus disclosed that the company
planned to re-enter the consumer electronics business as an original design manufacturer, licensing
in-house hardware designs and technologies to third-party manufacturers. Haidamus stated that the
Nokia brand was "valuable" but "is diminishing in value, and that's why it is important that we reverse
that trend very quickly, imminently".[140] The next day, Nokia unveiled the N1, an
Android tablet manufactured by Foxconn, as its first product following the Microsoft sale.
[141]
Haidamus emphasized that devices released under these licensing agreements would be held to
high standards in production quality, and would "look and feel just like Nokia built it". [12] Nokia CEO
Rajeev Suri stated that the company planned to re-enter the mobile phone business in this manner
in 2016, following the expiration of its non-compete clause with Microsoft. [142]
According to Robert Morlino, the spokesman of Nokia Technologies, Nokia planned to follow
the brand-licensing model rather than direct marketing of mobile devices due to the sale of its mobile
devices division to Microsoft.[143] The company took aggressive steps to revitalize itself, evident
through its hiring of software experts, testing of new products and seeking of sales partners. [144] On
14 July 2015, CEO Rajeev Suri confirmed that the company would make a return to the mobile
phones market in 2016.[145]
On 28 July 2015, Nokia announced OZO, a 360-degrees virtual reality camera, with eight 2K optical
image sensors. The division behind the product, Nokia Technologies, claimed that OZO would be
the most advanced VR film-making platform.[146] Nokia's press release stated that OZO would be "the
first in a planned portfolio of digital media solutions," with more technological products expected in
the future.[147] OZO was fully unveiled on 30 November in Los Angeles. The OZO, designed for
professional use, was intended for retail for US$60,000;[148] however, its price was decreased by
$15,000 prior to release,[149] and is listed on its official website as $40,000.[150]

Nokia office building in Markham, Ontario, Canada in 2016 –

originally Alcatel-Lucent's office A Nokia Flexi Zone base transceiver

station (2015)
On 14 April 2015, Nokia confirmed that it was in talks with the French telecommunications
equipment company Alcatel-Lucent regarding a potential merger.[151] The next day, Nokia announced
that it had agreed to purchase Alcatel-Lucent for €15.6 billion in an all-stock deal. [152] CEO Rajeev
Suri felt that the purchase would give Nokia a strategic advantage in the development of 5G wireless
technologies.[153][154] The acquisition created a stronger competitor to the rival
firms Ericsson and Huawei,[155] whom Nokia and Alcatel-Lucent had surpassed in terms of total
combined revenue in 2014. Nokia shareholders hold 66.5% of the new combined company, while
Alcatel-Lucent shareholders hold 33.5%. The Bell Labs division was to be maintained, but the
Alcatel-Lucent brand would be replaced by Nokia.[152][156] In October 2015, following approval of the
deal by China's Ministry of Commerce, the merger awaited approval by French regulators. [157] Despite
the initial intent of selling the submarine cable division separately, Alcatel-Lucent later declared that
it would not.[158] The merger closed on 14 January 2016,[159] but was not complete until 3 November
2016. From the acquisition, Nokia is now also the owner of the Alcatel Mobile phone brand, which
continues to be licensed to TCL.
On 3 August 2015, Nokia announced that it had reached a deal to sell its Here digital maps division
to a consortium of BMW, Daimler AG and Volkswagen Group for €2.8 billion.[160] The deal closed on 3
December 2015.[161]
2016–2019[edit]
On 26 April 2016, Nokia announced its intent to acquire French connected health device
maker Withings for US$191 million. The company was integrated into a new Digital Health unit of
Nokia Technologies.[162][163] Nokia later wrote off the cost of the acquisition and in May 2018 the health
unit was sold back to Éric Carreel, a Withings co-founder and former CEO.[164]

2017 Nokia 6
On 18 May 2016, Microsoft Mobile sold its Nokia-branded feature phone business to HMD Global, a
new company founded by former Nokia executive Jean-Francois Baril, and an associated factory in
Vietnam to Foxconn's FIH Mobile subsidiary. Nokia subsequently entered into a long-term licensing
deal to make HMD the exclusive manufacturer of Nokia-branded phones and tablets outside Japan,
operating in conjunction with Foxconn. The deal also granted HMD the right to essential patents and
featurephone software. HMD subsequently announced the Android-based Nokia 6 smartphone in
January 2017.[165][166] At Mobile World Congress, HMD additionally unveiled the Nokia 3 and Nokia
5 smartphones, as well as a re-imagining of Nokia's classic 3310 feature phone.[167][168] Nokia has
direct investments in the company,[169] and they do have some input in the new devices.
On 28 June 2016, Nokia demonstrated for the first time a 5G-ready network.[170] In February 2017
Nokia carried out a 5G connection in Oulu, Finland using the 5GTF standard, backed by Verizon,
on Intel architecture-based equipment.[171]
In July 2017, Nokia and Xiaomi announced that they have signed a business collaboration
agreement and a multi-year patent agreement, including a cross-license to each company's cellular
standard-essential patents.[172] In that year, Nokia's brand value was ranked 188th by Brand Finance,
a jump of 147 places from 2016. Its rise was attributed to its health portfolio and new mobile phones
developed by HMD Global.[173]