A scan of the events leads us to What’s Next, Nokia, which takes place at 11:25 a.m. local time, and will be hosted by Nokia’s head of product business, Sebastian Nystrom, who has worked on Nokia’s phones in the past. It’s a short talk, lasting only until 11:45, so whatever he has to say isn’t likely to be very involved. So, to borrow a phrase from Detective David Mills, what’s in the box?
Nokia’s not saying, but before you get too excited, it’s highly unlikely to be a ready-for-sale smartphone. Nokia sold its Devices division to Microsoft earlier this year, and along with it, the right to use its name on mobile hardware, whether smart or dumb, until late 2016. However, in a recent interview, company president Ramzi Haidamus said he was very keen to get its name out in other related areas that would complement the brand. While a Nokia built and sold smartphone isn’t possible, Haidamus has hinted of a concept device from Nokia that could be sold to another company.
It may not be an actual product inside the box at all. Nokia could be ready to share its plans regarding licensing its name to other manufacturers, and the Slush event may be more about revealing its manifesto.
The Slush event was previously the launchpad for Jolla, the mobile company with close ties to Nokia, and coincidentally, CEO Marc Dillion will be speaking on Wednesday. His presentation is titled, “Jolla — The Impossible Story Continues.” Would a better title for Nokia’s chat be, “The Impossible Story Begins?” We’ll find out very soon.
