Nokia is hiring experts in software, testing new products and looking for sales partners as it is setting up its return to the mobile device and consumer tech segment that it abandoned when it sold its mobile handset business.
At one time, the largest maker of mobile handsets, the company, based in Finland, was caught off guard by the increase in smartphones and surpassed by both Samsung and Apple.
In 2013, it sold to Microsoft its handset business and since has focused squarely on making its telecom network equipment.
The company dipped into the market for consumer electronics by launching the N1 its Android tablet, which went on sale in China in January and just days ago unveiled a camera that is virtual reality based heralding it as Nokia’s rebirth.
It has since launched Z Launcher an Android app that organizes smartphone content.
Meanwhile its technologies division has advertised on dozen of LinkedIn jobs across California, many in product developing, which included engineers specializing in Nokia operating software for its mobile devices.
Nokia also was planning to cut 70 people from its work force at that division, according to an announcement in May, but a source at the company said that figure was now halved.
Nokia is not saying too much about its preparations except for saying certain staff at the technologies division of 600 people were working on designs for its new consumer products which includes phones as well as health and digital video products.
However, it is not going to be easy clawing back to some relevance in the always changing competitive mobile handset business where Apple has scooped up close to 90% of the profits in the industry.
