It’s hard to break a Nokia: HMD announces refreshed phones

HMD Global, the home of Nokia phones, is really battling it out to stay in the mobile phone competition. It just announced some updates to the Nokia Android line of phones, the Nokia 2.1, Nokia 3.1 and Nokia 5.1.

Juho Sarvikas, Chief Product Officer, HMD Global, says:

“We are encouraged by the response that we are getting to our products. Our consumers tell us they love their Nokia smartphones on Android. It is our constant endeavour to enhance the experience to better suit the everyday needs of our fans. Every single detail on a Nokia smartphone has been designed with consumers in mind, which is why we are delighted to introduce these refined smartphones that deliver a dramatic step up on performance, continue to drive the most premium design elements to price points accessible to everyone and deliver the class-leading quality that you expect from us.

“With this range, we deliver larger screens, enhanced performance across our range with processor upgrades offering up to 50% higher performance while maintaining the perfect balance with power consumption and stunning designs – all in a segment where consumers often need to compromise. With our renewed portfolio, you can now enjoy a premium smartphone experience without paying a premium on the price. Each phone radiates effortless style with meticulous attention to detail and no matter your budget, you will be able to find a Nokia smartphone that is right for you.”

Nokia 2.1

Comes with a 4000mAh battery with 2-day battery life, 5.5″ HD screen, dual front-facing speakers. Nokia says it will have a Nordic design and metallic accents, and its sleek, rounded and ergonomically designed, inherently coloured poly-carbonate back will keep the phone safe, vibrant and robust against scratches. It will run on Qualcomm™ Snapdragon® 425, 64-bit Mobile Platform. It will have a 5MP front-facing and 8MP rear camera with auto focus. Colour options will be: Blue/Copper, Blue/Silver and Grey/Silver. The Nokia 2.1 will be available starting July 2018 at a global average retail price of US $115.

Nokia 3.1

It will be an 18:9 smartphone with 5.2-inch HD+ display and damage resistant Corning® Gorilla® Glass. It will run MediaTek 6750, an octa-core chipset, 13MP main camera with auto focus. Users will be able to make payments via NFC on Google Pay1. It will come in three colours: Blue/Copper, Black/Chrome and White/Iron; two storage/RAM options: 2GB/16GB or 3GB/32GB, and will be available starting June 2018 at a global average retail price of €139.

Nokia 5.1

This will come with higher resolution 5.5-inch Full HD+ display in 18:9 aspect ratio, be powered by a 2.0 GHz MediaTek Helio P18 octa-core processor, have a 16MP rear camera with phase detection auto-focus and wide-angle front camera, a fingerprint sensor at the back of the phone, and have NFC payments enabled. IT will come in three classic colours: Copper, Tempered Blue and Black, and in two storage/RAM options: 2GB/16GB or3GB/32GB. the Nokia 5.1 will be available starting July 2018 at a global average retail price of €189.

Nokia has also said that ‘Nokia smartphones with Android One offer more storage and battery life out of the box, as well as the latest AI-powered innovations from Google to help you stay ahead of the game every day. Nokia 5.1 and Nokia 3.1 will receive three years of monthly security patches and two years of OS updates, as guaranteed in the Android One programme. Anne Laurenson, Director, Android Partnerships at Google, says:

“People all over the world look for smartphones that fit their needs and Android’s mission has always been to bring the power of computing to everyone. Part of that is ensuring a great experience across the broadest range of devices. It’s great to see HMD Global taking a leading role in that mission by launching the Nokia 2.1 running on Android Oreo™ (Go edition), as well as having two phones joining the Android One family. We have worked closely to combine Google’s latest software innovations with HMD Global’s expertise in quality hardware, so the Nokia 5.1 and Nokia 3.1 can bring the smart, secure, and simply amazing Android One experience to everyone.”