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Nokia goes green to green-light Android phone

Nokia has gone green, adopting the signature colour of Google's Android software ready for the rumoured Nokia Android phone.

Richard Trenholm Former Movie and TV Senior Editor
Richard Trenholm was CNET's film and TV editor, covering the big screen, small screen and streaming. A member of the Film Critic's Circle, he's covered technology and culture from London's tech scene to Europe's refugee camps to the Sundance film festival.
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Richard Trenholm

Nokia has gone green. The Finnish company today changed the colour of its Facebook and Twitter pages to an emerald hue, the signature colour of Google's Android software -- which could mean the green light for the hotly-rumoured Nokia Android phone.

Codenamed the Nokia X or Nokia Normandy, the as-yet-unconfirmed phone will be Nokia's first Android device, and is reported to fill in the gap at the low-cost end of the market where the Lumia line of smart phones is dominated by rival Androids.

A spokesperson for Nokia told me today that the colour-change is a "teaser of things to come."

We're expecting to see the new mobile at phone and tablet extravaganza Mobile World Congress this month. Nokia's press conference takes place first thing on 25 February, and we'll be there to bring you all you need to know.

Nokia is reported to have been planning the Android phone before Microsoft decided to buy the company. Although Android and Microsoft's Windows Phone are direct rivals, it seems that Microsoft has given the phone the thumbs-up. Interestingly the Nokia phone won't get apps from Google Play, but rather from an external app store. That means Microsoft and Nokia dodge the Google apps license fee and prevent Google taking a cut of app purchases.

Other highlights of MWC will include the Samsung Galaxy S5, which will be unveiled at Samsung's Unpacked event on the same day as the Nokia press conference.