Nokia’s MWC conference has finally taken place folks and it has proved to be as exciting as we could have hoped. The event just saw the launch of Nokia 3, Nokia 5 and a global version of the Nokia 6 smartphone, and the first impressions we have taken away from the event are pretty good
Before moving on, it would serve us well to get a couple of basics clear. The Nokia we knew, the progenitor (almost) and pioneer of the modern hand held mobile, died a few years ago after its Lumia brand failed to compete against offerings from Google and Apple. The company was later bought by Microsoft before that too failed, and the PC maker decided to license the brand to Finland’s HMD Global. And it is actually HMD that is launching the new devices — notwithstanding the fact that a lot of HMD’s employees are ex-Nokia.
So, coming back to the event, HMD has launched three all new Android devices today. Strictly speaking Nokia 3 and 5 are seeing the daylight for the first time while Nokia 6, has previously been launched in China. However, a new, global version of 6 was also revealed today.
The devices have been billeted as “affordable” despite having a premium look and feel to them. While you will need to shell out €229 for the 6, Nokia 5 and 3 will set you back by €189 and €139 respectively. Keen not to repeat the mistakes of the past, HMD has gone for the stock Android operating system, rather than experimenting with Windows or Symbian. What’s more, HMD appears to be a company that believes in doing it right. The 3 devices will all feature the latest, Nougat 7.1.1 OS, along with monthly security updates from Google.
What’s more, all of the device will pack the Google Assistant inside. Considering that the LG G6 announced earlier today also sported the virtual assistant, it appears as if Google is really sending its AI out into the wilds now.
Commenting over the company’s commitment to Android, Juha Sarvikas, Chief Product Officer, said:
Three years ago, the dialler for example on Android would not have been a great experience, but today the best is actually the Google service. Android has arrived at a point in time where the best user experience is to align with it.
Taking a look at the devices individually, the global version of Nokia 6 is by far the most premium of the trio. The device comes with a 5.5” full HD screen and has actually been crafted out of a block of 6000 series aluminum.
The Nokia 6 also appears to lay a lot of focus on sound. Not only does the device come with smart audio amplifier, it also has dual speakers to allow for a deeper bass and clarity. There’s a 16 MP phase detection autofocus camera on the back, and an 8 MP camera on the front. The device also packs 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB mass storage with MicroSD card support up to 128 GB.
The Nokia 6 is available in Matte Black, Silver, Tempered Blue and Copper colors. You can shell out and additional €79 and receive a ultra-premium Arte variant that packs an additional 64 GB storage and 4 GB RAM instead of 3 GB. Somewhat similar to the premium variant of the iPhone 7, this version will also be available in high gloss black.
You can get the smartphone in either single, or dual-sim variant.
Next up is the Nokia 5. Crafted out of the same material as the 6, the device comes with a 5.2” Gorilla Glass display.
It is powered by Snapdragon 430 and has an Adreno 505 processor to power its graphics. €189 also gets you a 13 MP auto-focus camera and and a fingerprint sensor on the back for added security. You can also expect a decent use time, thanks to an integrated 3,000 mAH battery.
The device is available in Matte Black, Silver, Tempered Blue and Copper colors.
Finally, there is the Nokia 3 device which at €139, could actually do well in markets like India — where people still swear by Nokia.
The 5-inch display on the device is protected by Gorilla glass. Besides coming with all the essentials, the device also packs a bevy of sensors like accelerometer, gyroscope etc. and NFC for sharing. You can also enjoy fast music and video streaming with LTE 4G connectivity. For its price point, Nokia has packed a decent enough 2,650 mAH battery inside the 3. Meanwhile, processing is taken care of by a MTK 6737, Quad-core 1.3Ghz processor.
The device sports an 8 MP camera with autofocus both on the back and the front. The smartphone is available in Silver White, Matte Black, Tempered Blue and Copper White colors and at €139, appears to be a bargain.
Well, devices bearing the Nokia brand are finally beginning to move in the right direction. While they are witnessing quite a lot of initial enthusiasm, it will be important to see if HMD can make use of — and maintain — the adulation people still feel for Nokia despite all these years, while also managing to avoid the mistakes made by the company in the past.
Meanwhile, you can now pre-register for the devices by visiting this link.
