Nokia on Sunday denied that it will return to cell phone manufacturing.
Nokia completed the sale of its handset business to Microsoft last year. But late last week, a Chinese blog reported that Nokia would once again produce cell phones, this time with a focus on Android.
As noted by the G for Games blog, Nokia China President Mike Wang reportedly said that the company would build Android-powered smartphones in Sichuan and relocate its global R&D center there, too.
Nokia, however, was quick to Sunday refute the claims.
"Nokia notes recent news reports claiming the company communicated an intention to manufacture consumer handsets out of a R&D facility in China," the company said. "These reports are false, and include comments incorrectly attributed to a Nokia Networks executive."
Last week, Re/code also reported that Nokia would return to the mobile business. But the blog said that Nokia, through its Nokia Technologies division, would only handle the design part of the equation, while partners deal with manufacturing, sales, and distribution.
In its statement, Nokia only denied that it has plans to "manufacture or sell consumer handsets."
Nokia Technologies manages 10,000-plus patents, and develops its own products, like the N1 tablet, and predictive Nokia Z Launcher interface, which arrived last year.
The company currently has its hands full with Alcatel-Lucent, which it recently acquired for $16.5 billion. The combined organization will be called Nokia Corporation, and focus on the Internet of Things and cloud computing, as well as 5G development and IP and software-defined networking, analytics, sensors, and imaging.
It is also eyeing a possible sale of the Here mapping business. Nokia "has initiated a review of strategic options, including a potential divestment, for its Here business," the firm said earlier this month.