Nokia has announced the launch of its first-ever Android tablet. The Nokia N1 is being made for Nokia by an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) partner and is due to go on sale in the first quarter of 2015.
Running Android on a 2.4Ghz Intel Atom quad-core processor, the Nokia N1 has a one-piece aluminium body and a 7.9-inch display. It’s just 6.9mm deep and will be offered in Lava Grey and Natural Aluminum colours.
A custom user interface called the Nokia Z Launcher will allow users to write a letter on-screen to find their content quickly. The Z Launcher will also learn which applications a user is expected to want based on the time of day and their location.
Sebastian Nyström, Head of Products at Nokia Technologies, said “We are pleased to bring the Nokia brand back into consumers’ hands with the N1 Android tablet, and to help make sophisticated technologies simple. The N1 has a delightfully intuitive interface and an industrial design to match it. This is a great product for Nokia fans and everyone who has not found the right Android tablet yet.”
Nokia’s N1 is expected to go on sale in China for the equivalent of $249 (around £190 incl. VAT). Availability in other countries hasn’t yet been confirmed, although Nokia says it anticipates expanding to other markets.
Microsoft took control of Nokia’s mobile device business earlier this year; part of the deal involved a commitment that Nokia wouldn’t make any own-brand mobile devices until at least 2016.