Mobile World Congress has just kicked off, and HMD Global has surprised us with not one, but five new Nokia phones. The newest offerings have a little something for everyone at varying price points, and it all starts with a feature phone — the classic Nokia 8110.
If you don’t recall, HMD Global is a relatively-new company that launched last year after receiving the rights to license the Nokia brand name, with a requirement to strictly adhere to core Nokia guidelines. These requirements make sure the phones reach a certain quality level that doesn’t tarnish the brand name.
Nokia 8110 4G
Remember the original Nokia 8110 phone from 1996? If you weren’t satisfied with the Nokia 3310 the company revived last year, you can now get a blast from the past with the Nokia 8110 4G. Available in Traditional Black and Banana Yellow, the Nokia 8110 4G is constructed of a durable plastic and features a sliding cover that both protects the keypad and answers calls.
The Nokia 8110 4G features a Qualcomm 295 Mobile Platform processor, along with 512 MB of RAM and 4 GB of internal storage. If you need more storage, a MicroSD slot is included. You’ll also never have battery anxiety, because the 1,500mAh battery should provide up to 25 days of standby time with LTE enabled, or a little over 6 hours of video playback if you want to take advantage of the 2.4-inch QVGA display. It also has a 2.4-megapixel rear camera, as well as an MP3 player and FM radio.
What’s perhaps more interesting is how the new phone comes with Google Assistant, Google Maps, and Facebook pre-installed. It doesn’t run Android, but HMD has been working closely with Google and other app developers to bring some smart services to their feature phone. There will be an app store available to download more apps, but it’s unclear what kinds of apps will be available.
Of course, you’ll also find the classic game Snake pre-installed on the phone as well. HMD Global insists we should see more apps for the phone in the coming months. The phone is priced at 79 euros, and will launch in May.
Nokia 1
HMD’s newest budget phone, the Nokia 1 comes in at under $100. It’s can connect to 4G networks, and it’s a simple-looking phone with a polycarbonate body supported by a metal frame. You can add your own flare to the device with Nokia’s new Xpress-on covers, another blast to the past that allows you to change the color of the rear case.
Featuring a MediaTek Quad Core MT6737M 1.1Ghz processor and 1GB of RAM, the Nokia 1 is the one of the first smartphones to run on the lightweight edition of Android, known as Android Go. That means the core OS size is incredibly small, and so are the accompanying Google apps installed on the phone, which are known as Go apps. You’ll find 8GB of storage on board, with a MicroSD slot for external storage if you need more space.
The Nokia 1 has a 4.5-inch IPS display with a 2 MP selfie cam. On the back, you’ll find a 5-megapixel lens with LED flash. As for the battery, it has a 2,150mAh capacity that should offer plenty of juice for these low-power specifications. If you do find yourself running low however, the Nokia 1 does have a removable battery for quick swapping.
The Nokia 1 will set you back $85, and it will be available in April 2018. HMD hasn’t announced the countries where the phone will be available.
Nokia 6
Although the Nokia 6 officially launched in China in January, HMD is releasing the phone in other markets in the coming months. Still similar to the 2017 Nokia 6, this year’s refresh brings a more modern design, upgraded specs, and new features to the phone.
The new Nokia 6 has an aluminum case with a 5.5-inch full HD IPS laminated display. There are three different color combinations available: Black and copper, white and iron, and well as blue and gold. While the Nokia 6 maintains its 16:9 aspect ratio, the bezels — or edges around the screen — are a bit smaller, creating a more compact phone overall.
It’s now powered by the Snapdragon 630 processor, which should offer a 60 percent bump in performance from the old version. As for memory and storage, there are two configurations. You can choose between 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage, or 4GB of RAM with 64GB of storage. Both versions come with a MicroSD slot for more storage.
As for software, the Nokia 6 is now a part of the Android One program, which mostly means it runs stock Android, shipping with Android 8.0 Oreo. Being a part of the Android One program means you’ll also get quick Android version and security updates.
The Nokia 6 packs a beefy 3,000mAh battery, with USB Type-C quick charging support that offers a 50 percent charge in just 30 minutes.
In terms of cameras, there’s a 16-megapixel rear camera with Zeiss optics and dual-tone flash. There’s a wide-angle 8-megapixel front-facing camera, perfect for group selfies. You’ll also find Dual-sight, a feature HMD introduced on the 2017 Nokia 8, that lets you capture images with the front and rear cameras on your phone simultaneously, also known as “bothies.”
The Nokia 6 will launch in April 2018, and it will cost 280 euros. There’s no word on a U.S. launch just yet, but it’s likely considering the 2017 Nokia 6 was one of few to make it stateside.
Nokia 7 Plus
Billed as “the flagship for everyone,” the Nokia 7 Plus has a lot to offer. There’s a six-inch IPS Full HD+ display with an 18:9 aspect ratio, which means you’ll also find minimal bezels on the top and bottom edge around the screen. The case is constructed with aluminum, but more interestingly, the rear is coated with six stages of ceramic paint — which helps boost antenna strength. It’s why there are no antenna lines anywhere on the phone.
Inside you’ll find a Snapdragon 660 processor with 4GB of RAM. There’s 64GB of internal storage with an option to add up to 256GB via a MicroSD slot. You’ll also find a hefty 3,800mAh battery that should provide you up to two days use between charges. Like the Nokia 6, the Nokia 7 Plus will ship with a stock version of Android 8.0 Oreo under the Android One program.
The Nokia 7 Plus packs some pretty impressive cameras, at least on paper. On the rear, you’ll find a dual-camera setup with 12-megapixel Zeiss lens as well as a 13-megapixel Zeiss telephoto lens with 2x optical zoom. The front-facing camera features a large 16-megapixel Zeiss lens, and it can also be used to unlock the phone with facial recognition. There are also some Animoji-like augmented reality capabilities, though we’ll have to check out the phone to see what it’s like.
Dual-sight is also included on the 7 Plus as well, allowing you to capture images with the front and rear camera simultaneously.
The Nokia 7 Plus will cost 400 euros, and it will be available in April 2018.
Nokia 8 Sirocco
While HMD may refer to the Nokia 7 Plus as its flagship, the Nokia 8 Sirocco rightly wins the title. The phone packs some seriously impressive specs in a gorgeous case.
Similar to the Samsung Galaxy S9 and iPhone X, the Nokia 8 Sirocco features a Gorilla Glass 5 glass-wrapped case around a stainless steel frame. There’s a 5.5-inch Quad HD p-OLED display on front, and on the back you’ll find a dual-camera array and fingerprint sensor.
Open up the Nokia 8 Sirocco and you’ll find a Snapdragon 835 processor. Sure, it’s no Snapdragon 845, but it’s still a powerful flagship chipset that should offer plenty of horsepower. There’s 6GB of RAM on board as well as 128 GB of storage. The 3,260mAh battery supports Qualcomm Quick Charge 4.0, and the phone is capable of charging wirelessly through Qi compatible charging pads. The phone ships with the stock version of Android 8.0 Oreo, and it’s a part of the Android One program. It’s also IP67 water-resistant.
As for cameras, the Nokia 8 Sirocco packs dual lenses on the rear. The primary camera uses a 13-megapixel Zeiss lens, while the secondary relies upon a 12-megapixel Zeiss lens with 2x optical zoom. On the front, it’s a wide-angle, 5-megapixel Zeiss lens for group selfies.
The Nokia 8 Sirocco will set you back 750 euros, and it arrives in April 2018.
Android One and HMD
HMD and Google have struck a deal to make all of these Nokia devices, as well as other refreshes later this year, Android One devices. While HMD already uses stock Android and issues updates fairly quickly, being on the Android One program means you’ll get updates even faster, as well as the same stock Android experience with no bloatware.
Updated: We’ve added confirmed specs and pricing.
