Nokia Unveils Strong Lineup for 2018 at MWC

HMD Global have used this year’s Mobile World Congress to show its full commitment to resurrecting the Nokia brand as a heavyweight phone OEM. There’s a lot to mention so we’ll keep it brief for now and give you guys the full breakdown once we get our hands on the devices in the coming weeks and months.

https://youtu.be/QOzbPEEV8Ww

Nokia MWC 2018 – New Banana Phone

Key specs

• OS: Smart Feature OS
• Chipset: Qualcomm 205 Mobile Platform (MSM8905 Dual Core 1.1 GHz)
• RAM: 512MB LPDDR3
• Storage: 4GB eMMC internal memory4
• Display: 2.4-inch QVGA display, curved display
• Camera: 2MP rear camera
• Connectivity/Sensors: Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, BT 4.1, GPS/AGPS, micro USB 2.0, 3.5mm AV jack
• Battery2: 1500mAh
• FM radio
• Audio playback file formats: AAC, AMR, MP3, MIDI, Vorbis
• Micro SIM slot

The Nokia 8110 4G aka the Banana phone 2018 edition, is another retro classic revitalised as a modern feature phone. As the second member of the planned “Nokia Originals” family after last year’s 3310 reboot, the 8110 4G comes in black and Banana Yellow. The interface is basic and approachable for even the most un-techy phone users, it even includes slide open to answer and close to end calls. As one would expect, the uniquely designed 8110 4G comes with Snake, but additionally, it has an app store with support for Facebook, downloadable games and tools such as Gmail and Outlook calendar sync. Surprisingly, it also comes with Wi-Fi functionality and can be used as a wireless hotspot. Being a basic device, it delivers on Nokia’s legendary feature phone battery life, with 25 days standby.

Nokia MWC 2018 – Nokia 1

Key Specs

• OS: Android Oreo (Go edition)
• Chipset: MediaTek MT6737M Quad Core 1.1GHz
• RAM: 1 GB LPDDR3 RAM
• Storage: 8 GB eMMC internal memory⁴ with MicroSD card slot⁵ (support up to 128GB)
• Display: 4.5-inch FWVGA IPS
• Camera: 5MP with LED Flash / Front facing camera: 2MP
• Connectivity/Sensors: 802.11 b/g/n, GPS/AGPS, Bluetooth 4.2, Micro USB 2.0, 3.5mm AV jack, proximity sensor, ambient light sensor, g-sensor,
• Battery: Removable 2150 mAh battery
• Audio: FM radio. Audio playback file formats: 3G2, 3GP, AAC, AMR, M4A, MKV, MP3, MP4
• Dimensions: 133.6 x 67.78 x 9.5mm

The new Nokia 1 will be available in both single and dual sim iterations and builds on the success of last year’s version by further pushing the boundaries of what users can expect from an affordable feature phone. Nokia dominates in the feature phone category worldwide and the introduction of the new Nokia 1 is only going to solidify the brand’s position.

Despite being a budget phone, the new Nokia 1 offers up to 4G LTE connectivity, voice control and quad-core processing to keep its pure and secure Android Oreo (Go edition) running swiftly. In addition, this phone has a rear and front-facing camera at 5MP with LED flash and 2MP image resolution respectively. It also features a removable 2,150mAh battery, which should deliver a full day’s worth of usage.

Along with the new Nokia 1, HMD is reintroducing Nokia Xpress-on covers, allowing users to personalise their phones with a selection of tough polycarbonate cover shells. This phone is feature packed and durable, thanks to metal glass fibre moulded inserts increasing the structural strength at key points.

Nokia MWC 2018 – New Nokia 6

Key specifications1

• OS: Pure Android 8.0 Oreo
• Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 630 mobile platform
• RAM/Storage variants: 3 GB LPDDR 4 RAM with 32 GB internal user memory2 or 4 GB LPDDR 4 RAM with 64 GB internal user memory2 both variants available with MicroSD card slot3 (up to 128 GB support)
• Form factor: Touch monoblock with on-screen keys
• Display: 5.5” IPS LCD full HD (1920 x 1080, 16:9), sculpted Corning Gorilla Glass, 403 ppi pixel density, 450 nits, laminated, 1500:1 contrast ratio
• Primary camera: 16MP PDAF / 1.0um / F2.0, dual tone flash, ZEISS optics
• Front facing camera: 8MP FF, 1.12um / F2.0 / FOV 84˚
• Connectivity & sensors: 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, BT 5.0, GPS/AGPS+GLONASS+BDS, FM/RDS, USB type-C (USB 2.0), OTG, 3.5mm, ambient light sensor, proximity sensor, accelerometer, e-compass, gyroscope, hall sensor, fingerprint sensor, NFC
• Battery: Integrated 3000 mAh battery
• Audio: Single speaker with smart amplifier, Nokia spatial audio capture with 2 mics
• Dimensions: 148.8 x 75.8 x 8.15 mm (8.6 mm with camera bump)

Machined from a single block of 6000 series aluminium, with diamond cut edges, sculpted 2.5D Corning Gorilla Glass and two-tone anodised details the new Nokia 6 is designed to deliver superb value-for-money in an attractive and durable device and it makes a superb impression. Available in three colour combos; White/Iron, Black/Gold and Blue/Copper, the new Nokia 6 is one of the most attract devices in its segment.

However, it isn’t just good looking, the new Nokia 6 has a bright 5.5-inch Full HD IPS laminated display, offering strong contrast. Under the hood, this phone uses the Qualcomm Snapdragon 630 in either 3GB or 4GB RAM (32GB/64GB ROM – expandable to 128GB via microSD) configs. For taking pictures, it has a 16MP main camera with Zeiss optics and dual-tone flash. While the front-facing camera has an 8MP wide-angle camera, ideal for selfies and group photos. The new Nokia 6 has a respectable 3,000mAh battery with USB-C fast charging that will deliver 50% charge in 30 minutes.

Nokia MWC 2018 – New Nokia 7 Plus

Key specifications

• OS: Android 8.0 Oreo
• Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 mobile platform
• RAM: 4 GB LPDDR 4
• Storage: 64 GB internal memory2 with MicroSD card slot3 (up to 256 GB support)
• Form factor: touch monoblock with on-screen keys
• Display: 6” IPS LCD full HD+ (2160 x 1080, 18:9), sculpted Corning Gorilla Glass, 403 ppi pixel density, 500 nits, 1:1500 contrast ratio, laminated and polarised
• Primary rear: 12MP, 1.4um pixel pitch, f1.75 aperture, ZEISS optics with dual-tone flash
• Secondary rear camera: 13MP, 1.0um pixel pitch, f2.6 aperture, ZEISS optics
• Front-facing camera: 16MP 1.0um pixel pitch, f2.0 aperture, ZEISS optics
• Connectivity & Sensors: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, BT 5.0, GPS/AGPS+GLONASS+BDS, NFC, USB type-C (USB 2.0), OTG, 3.5mm AV jack, ambient light sensor, proximity sensor, accelerometer, e-compass, gyroscope, hall sensor, fingerprint sensor
• Battery: Integrated 3800 mAh battery4 with USB type-C fast charging and 2-day battery life
• Audio: Single speaker with smart amplifier, Nokia spatial audio capture with 3 mics
• Dimensions: 158.38 x 75.64 x 7.99 mm (9.55 mm with camera bump)

The Nokia 7 Plus is the most competitive smartphone produced under the Nokia brand in years. Feature-packed, beautifully designed and running a pure install of Android 8.0 Oreo, the Nokia 7 Plus makes a strong case for itself as a contender for best value-for-money smartphone of 2018, at least on paper.

Sharing a similar design language deployed in the new Nokia 6, this phone is also crafted from a single block of aluminium and also shines with the same two-tone anodised process metallic accents. It’s cool ceramic-feel coating gives it a pleasant tactile and premium feel. Using the Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 Mobile platform, 4GB RAM, the Nokia 7 Plus is respectable in the power stakes and should get the most out of its large 3,800mAh battery.

Enjoying content on this phone should be easy with its large 6-inch IPS LCD Full HD+ display with 18:9 aspect ratio and thin bezels. And if capturing content is an important factor for you, the Nokia 7 Plus has a dual camera setup, featuring a 12MP and 13MP sensor combo with Zeiss lenses for optical zoom and decent low-light photography capabilities.

Nokia MWC 2018 – Nokia 8 Sirocco edition

Saving the best until last, true Nokia fans will appreciate this phone especially. The Nokia 8 Sirocco edition tips its hat to the Nokia OG classic, the Nokia 8800, a device that cost around £1000 when it was released about 12 years ago. Thankfully, this version will come in closer to around £750 when it starts shipping in April.

The design of this phone is contemporary and elegant, easily the most attractive phone ever produced under the Nokia brand, with possibly only the 8310, 7210 or 6600 coming close (PLEASE Nokia gods re-release one of or all of these phones). With its sumptuous edge-to-edge curved pOLED 2K 5.5-inch display, made from Full 3D Corning Gorilla Glass 5 covering 95% of the device, the new Sirocco is a beauty to behold and hold. It’s tough too, milled from a single block of stainless steel, 2.5 times stronger than the 6000 series aluminium used in the new Nokia 6 and Nokia 7 Plus. Its curved design gives it’s IP67-rated body, an ultra slim profile, 7.5mm at its thickest and tapering down to 2.5mm at its diamond polished stainless-steel edges.

Interestingly, HMD opted to only give the Sirocco last year’s Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset (they can’t let us have EVERYTHING), which while still powerful, leaves this phone slightly behind as most of 2018’s top devices will undoubtedly be powered by the Snapdragon 845 or equivalent chips. However, it still has 6GB RAM and 128GB of internal storage.

As for camera specs, the Sirocco has a 12/13MP dual camera setup with Zeiss optics and 2x optical zoom. The phone’s front-facing camera offers an 84 degree field of view and has outstanding low-light performance according to the announcement. We look forward to putting that bold claim to the test when we get the phone in for review. Pro-camera mode also gives users manual control over key settings such as ISO, White Balance, Shutter Speed and Exposure compensation.

Capturing video content with Sirocco is aided by three high-performance integrated microphones, which provide a high dynamic range to capture everything from the whispers to rock concerts in 24-bit audio. Nokia’s spatial audio provides distortion free sound up to 132dB. Additionally, the Nokia Sirocco has a 3,260mAh battery with Qi wireless charging and fast charge delivering 50% charge in 30 minutes.