As part of Microsoft announcing 18,000 job cuts there was an interesting comment about the future of the Android powered Nokia X phones. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said that they plan to shift Nokia X product designs to become Lumia products running Windows with Windows Universal Apps. This looks like that Microsoft will probably kill off the Android powered Nokia X range of devices and push low cost Windows Phone to the markets the X was aimed at.

We did wonder whether the Nokia X devices could be Microsoft way of offering an alternative to Google’s services using the open source version of Android and discussed it on the podcast with Ed Bott this week but it looks like that isn’t the case and Microsoft will focus on Windows.

Second, we are working to integrate the Nokia Devices and Services teams into Microsoft. We will realize the synergies to which we committed when we announced the acquisition last September. The first-party phone portfolio will align to Microsoft’s strategic direction. To win in the higher price tiers, we will focus on breakthrough innovation that expresses and enlivens Microsoft’s digital work and digital life experiences. In addition, we plan to shift select Nokia X product designs to become Lumia products running Windows. This builds on our success in the affordable smartphone space and aligns with our focus on Windows Universal Apps.

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