Rumor: Nokia P1 to be announced at MWC 2017 as a high-end, Snapdragon 835-based Android phone

Remember the Nokia P1 Android phone that first caught our attention last summer? While Nokia hasn't confirmed its existence, we're now hearing that the handset could be officially announced next month at MWC 2017.

According to Russian publication Worket, the Nokia P1 is based on the Sharp Aquos Xx3 (pictured below), a smartphone released about half a year ago in Japan. However, the new Nokia handset should have enhanced specs, including a Snapdragon 835 processor (Qualcomm's latest high-end chipset), 6 GB of RAM, and up to 256 GB of internal memory. Moreover, its 22.6 MP rear camera is expected to be Zeiss-certified, while the phone's body should be dust- and water-resistant (IP57-certified).

Other expected features include a 5.3-inch display with Gorilla Glass Glass 5 (unknown pixel resolution, but it's likely either 1080 x 1920, or 1440 x 2560), fingerprint scanner on the right side, and a 3500 mAh battery with quick charging capabilities.

The Nokia P1 should run Android 7 Nougat out of the box. It's said that prices for it will start at about $800 for the 128 GB model, and $950 for the 256 GB one.

Mind you, the details above can't be verified, so, for now, we have to file this in the rumor category.

HMD Global, the newly established company in charge of developing and marketing Nokia Android phones, already confirmed its presence at MWC 2017, alongside Nokia itself. Furthermore, Foxconn (which is in charge of manufacturing Nokia's new handsets) bought Sharp last year, so the fact that the P1 could be based on a Sharp phone would make sense.

Until now, HMD and Nokia announced only one Android phone, the mid-range Nokia 6. But we know that more handsets will be unveiled this year - stay tuned to find out if the P1 is among them.