The first year that HMD Global produced Nokia-branded phones was successful. In 2017, the Finnish company sold 70 million devices across its portfolio of six different Android smartphones and other low-cost feature phones such as the throwback Nokia 3310.
HMD anticipates an even better 2018 with the introduction of four brand-new (well, mostly brand-new) Android phones at the MWC in Barcelona. Before we even get to the new devices, perhaps the headline announcement is that starting with these phones all Nokia releases will be part of the Android One program (with the exception of its first Android Go phone). All Nokia phones will receive a bloated version of the operating system with frequent updates as a result of this growing partnership with Google. This could give them a significant advantage over rival phones. Let’s take a look at what Nokia’s 2018 lineup has to offer.
Nokia 6 (2018)
HMD considers the original Nokia 6 to be a kind of franchise device because it was the company’s best-selling Android phone in 2017. For that reason, the all new Nokia 6 is probably the most important of the new models. This time around, it is constructed from a single block of 6000 series aluminum with two-tone anodization, the capacitive keys have been cut, and the fingerprint scanner has been moved to the rear. It was already announced for the Chinese market last month. It has the same 5.5-inch IPS LCD full HD display, but it has a slightly smaller frame. The Snapdragon 630 chip has improved performance. Face unlocking will feature on the new Nokia 6, which HMD says is almost as fast and accurate as fingerprint unlocking. The Dual-Sight “bothie” mode that can be found on other recent Nokia devices is available on the 16MP camera. It could be the best mid-range phone of the year and will be available in Europe sometime in April for just €279; images of the Nokia 7 Plus leaked last week, showing a device with dual cameras and an 18:9 screen. We now know that the most recent Nokia upper-midrange phone features a Snapdragon 660 SoC, a 6″ IPS LCD panel, and will also launch with Oreo as part of the Android One program.
