Nokia denies it will release an Android phone

Nokia has denied that it will develop a smartphone running on the Google Android operating system.

The Guardian reported that industry insiders said a new touchscreen device will be unveiled at the Nokia World conference this September.

This year has been a trying time for the mobile phone manufacturer, with hundreds of jobs cut due to the recession, falling profits and plunging demand.

A Nokia Android phone would look to make an impact on a smartphone market that is one of the few areas which is showing growth, as mobile phone shipments dip industry-wide during the recession.

It will also mean Nokia is joining companies like Motorola, Samsung, HTC and LG in bringing Android handsets out this year.

However, as IT PRO's sister title PC Pro notes, it would be an odd move considering the investment that Nokia has made in its own Symbian platform.

A Nokia spokesperson said in a statement: "There is no truth to this story whatsoever. It is a well known fact that Symbian is our platform of choice for smartphones."