Nokia X Android phone already hacked to run Google Apps, Now and Play Store

Nokia X Android phone already hacked to run Google Apps, Now and Play Store
Now it looks like an Android phone...

The Nokia X, the company's first-and-potentially-last handset running the Android operating system, doesn't really have much to identify it as a handset running Google-based software.

There's no access to core Google apps like Gmail, YouTube, Hangouts, Google Now and users are unable to download items from the Google Play store. Everything is decidedly Windows Phone flavoured.

However, thanks to a little bit of ingenuity from one of the clever folks on the XDA Developers forum, anyone can access those Android essentials on the new handset.

Forum member Kashamalaga has unveiled a pretty easy method (the man himself called it rudimentary) for restoring the phone to its Google roots.

Holy Grail

Microsoft hopes the Windows Phone-style user-interface, with the likes of Skype and OneDrive front and centre will give users an incentive to jump on board with the company's own OS next time they're in the market for a phone.

However, what users really wanted from this release was the smartphone Holy Grail of a Nokia handset running full-fat Android. This little exploit doesn't offer that, but it brings the dream a little closer to reality.

Via Engadget

Chris Smith

A technology journalist, writer and videographer of many magazines and websites including T3, Gadget Magazine and TechRadar.com. He specializes in applications for smartphones, tablets and handheld devices, with bylines also at The Guardian, WIRED, Trusted Reviews and Wareable. Chris is also the podcast host for The Liverpool Way. As well as tech and football, Chris is a pop-punk fan and enjoys the art of wrasslin'.

Latest in Websites & Apps
Quordle on a smartphone held in a hand
Quordle hints and answers for Saturday, March 15 (game #1146)
NYT Strands homescreen on a mobile phone screen, on a light blue background
NYT Strands hints and answers for Saturday, March 15 (game #377)
A smartphone on a sofa showing the WhatsApp, Telegram and Signal apps
Forget AI – WhatsApp is planning a simple messages feature that could be its most useful upgrade in years
Quordle on a smartphone held in a hand
Quordle hints and answers for Friday, March 14 (game #1145)
NYT Strands homescreen on a mobile phone screen, on a light blue background
NYT Strands hints and answers for Friday, March 14 (game #376)
Quordle on a smartphone held in a hand
Quordle hints and answers for Thursday, March 13 (game #1144)
Latest in News
Brad Pitt looks over his right shoulder with 'F1' written behind him
Apple Original Films will take you behind-the-scenes of a racing cockpit in this new thrilling F1 movie trailer
AI writer
Coding AI tells developer to write it himself
Reacher looking down at another character from the Prime Video TV series Reacher
Reacher season 3 becomes Prime Video’s biggest returning show thanks to Hollywood’s biggest heavyweight
Image showing detail of the Leica D-Lux 8
Still can't get a Fujifilm X100VI? This premium Leica compact costs less, and it's in stock
Man using iMessage on an iPhone
Apple will finally enable encrypted RCS messages between iOS and Android, and it's about time
Google Messages update
Google Messages could soon follow WhatsApp with an upgrade that makes it much easier to join group chats