Durable and reliable. These are some of the words that come to people’s minds when Nokia is mentioned, said HMD Global Country Manager Shannon Mead.
HMD Global is the one-year-old Finnish startup behind the resurgence of Nokia mobile phones.
“Durable, reliable. They’re what comes to mind when consumers are asked what they think about when we say Nokia,” Mead said during the company’s launching of new devices in Cebu.
“We actually dusted off some old phones and they’re still working. So, I think that really brings to life the message of durability and reliability,” he said.
Pure, up-to-date Android
A key component of the reliability is Nokia’s approach to Android, their phones’ operating system.
“A strategic part for us is our take on Android. When we introduced our product portfolio in early 2017 to the world, we talked about pure, secure and up-to-date Android. We made that a promise and we’ve kept that promise,” Mead said.
The Nokia 8, Nokia 6, and Nokia 5 are already on Android Oreo 8.1, which is the the latest release.
“For the Nokia 5 currently on promo at P8,990 to have Oreo 8.1 when some of our competitors are only getting Android 8 on their flagship devices – I think we’ve made that promise and we’ve been able to keep it,” he said.
New Nokia phones
Apart from the OS upgrades, Mead said the monthly security updates that they send out are also important. With these updates, “you can always ensure that the device has got the latest version which optimizes your battery life but also ensures that any malware, any glitches that have come in in the previous month are resolved.”
Mead led the launching in Cebu of the Nokia 7 plus, Nokia 1, New Nokia 6, and Nokia 8110 4G.
“HMD Global is proud to continue the story of Nokia mobile through the qualities that we first loved such as durability and innovation, designed to suit every need and style. As a key market, we are committed to building and strengthening our presence in Cebu,” Mead said in a statement.
“We are optimistic that with the new generation of Nokia Android smartphones and our classic but highly upgraded feature phone, the Cebuanos will get the best mobile experience across all price points,” he said.
Nokia 8110 4G
Year 1 achievements
Mead said that in HMD Global’s first year, they introduced 11 phones which he described as a “pretty amazing feat.” The company was also able to open an office in 80 countries.
“We’re able to be on sale in 170 different markets. For a brand-new company to have a presence in 170 markets and to introduce 11 new phones into the market is pretty great,” he said.
The company also made its mark when Nokia devices were able to enter the top 5 for smartphones in 15 markets.
“We are number one in value shipments when it comes to feature phones. We’re actually making a lot of headway when it comes to our overall ambition, which is to be a top 5 brand in the next 3 to 5 years when it comes to smartphones as well as extend our feature phone leadership and make it the largest brand,” he said.
Expansion outside Manila
This year, Mead said HMD will put more effort in expanding to areas outside Metro Manila.
“When we looked at success of our 3310 and the Nokia 6, Cebu was always at the top. We can’t ignore that. We need to go deeper in those markets and further out into provincial areas,” he said.
Nokia 7 plus
The flagship device combines beautiful design and manufacturing, powerful specs and great cameras, the company said. The phone comes with cameras with Carl Zeiss optics.
Key specs
- Precision machined from a single block of 6000 series aluminium with anodised edges for added style and strength where you need it most
- Ceramic-feel coating brings a unique tactile feel and comfortable grip while elegantly hiding antenna lines
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 Mobile Platform and 4 GB RAM for powerful performance and optimised power consumption and 2-day battery life
- Rear dual camera with ZEISS optics – 12MP primary camera with large pixel size and wide aperture for great scenic photography, and secondary 13MP telephoto lens for 2X optical zoom
- 16MP front camera with ZEISS optics and high-quality lowlight capability
- New Pro Camera mode gives the ultimate intuitive manual control over camera settings for advanced users and shows the impact of your adjustments in real time
The Nokia 7 plus is available in Black/Copper and White/Copper and retails for P21,990.
Nokia 1
The device is a “a 4G smartphone for every Juan.” The phone copmes with Android Oreo Go edition, a version of Android optimized for devices with 1GB RAM or less.
The Nokia 1 comes with interchangeable Xpress-on covers.
Key specs
- Familiar design and reassuring quality of a Nokia phone in our most affordable package yet
- All the smartphone essentials – 4G LTE, quad core, rear camera with flash, front camera, dual SIM and voice control
Removable 2150mAh battery which lasts a full day with normal usage
The Nokia 1 is available in Warm Red and Dark Blue for P4,290.
New Nokia 6
The device is 60% faster than its predecessor and now comes with “enhanced Dual-Sight, ZEISS optics, USB-C fast-charging, a more compact screen-to-body ratio, Nokia spatial audio and pure, secure and up-to-date Android Oreo.”
Key specs
- Crafted from a single block of 6000 series aluminium finished with two-tone anodization to stand out from the crowd
- Robust and made to take everyday knocks thanks to the seamless aluminium unibody and sculpted 2.5D Corning Gorilla Glass
- Bright 5.5” full HD IPS laminated display with great contrast in a more compact form
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 630 Mobile Platform available with either 3GB or 4GB RAM (32GB/64GB ROM)
- 16MP rear camera with ZEISS optics and dual-tone flash for crystal clear images. 8MP wide-angle front camera
- Nokia spatial audio capture and playback technology
- 3000mAh battery with USB type-C fast charging. Get 50% charge in just 30 minutes
The new Nokia 6 features two configurations of 4GB RAM / 64 GB ROM in Blue/Gold color blend for P15,990.
Nokia 8110 4G
The latest model out of the Originals family is the Nokia 8110, known both as The Matrix phone because it figured in the movie series and the banana phone.
The Nokia 8110 is a 4G phone that can serve as Wi-Fi hotspot.
The phone runs with KaiOS with a standby time of 17 days both using GSM and LTE.
Mead said the Nokia 8110 will be shipping in May. He said pricing will also be announced in the coming weeks.
