Following speculation that Nokia is ramping up efforts to rejoin the mobile phone market after selling its devices business to Microsoft last year, the company released a statement saying “it currently has no plans to manufacture or sell consumer handsets”.

“Nokia notes recent news reports claiming the company communicated an intention to manufacture consumer handsets out of a R&D facility in China. These reports are false, and include comments incorrectly attributed to a Nokia Networks executive,” the statement added.

Nokia could licence its name to other handset makers from the fourth quarter of 2016, under the terms of the agreement signed when it sold its Devices & Services unit to Microsoft. And it can already licence its brand for other consumer electronic devices, although it is not clear if it wants to do so.

The company is also reportedly working on several technology projects planned in areas such as virtual reality.