2017 is set to be a big year for smartphones, with the Galaxy S8 and iPhone 8 both set to debut with brand-new designs.
But many will be intrigued by the imminent return of Nokia, which is set to launch a new Android-powered smartphone early in the year.
Finland-based company HMD Global previously secured the licensing rights to the Nokia brand, and has tasked FIH Mobile Limited, a subsidiary of Foxconn (of iPhone-building fame), to manufacture the new device.
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And now HMD’s Chief Executive, Arto Nummela, has provided an insight into the company’s plans via an interview with The Economic Times of India.
“It will be premum quality [and a] design that people will immediately recognise as Nokia,” he said, revealing the company is planning to go “global from day one for our featurephone business.”
The Chief Executive also said the company is planning to be “extremely competitive in terms of the specifications and price.”
Despite seemingly hinting at top-end hardware, Nummela also emphasised the specs on the upcoming Nokia handset would not be a major selling point, adding: “we’re not going to be highlighting the megapixels or gigahertz.”
All of which seems to suggest we will be getting a mid to high-end device, with HMD president Florian Seiche adding a somewhat cryptic comment to the mix.
Explaining how the company intends to compete in an increasingly saturated market, Seiche said: “we can take a human aspect on technology.”
We’re not entirely sure what that means, but the HMD President made clear the new handset “will be true to the Nokia brand and the foundation of it.”
“We have the brand equity and we want to leverage that to the fullest. Every product, marketing, will be true to the Nokia brand and the foundation of it.
“Stability, quality, reliability, and then we’re bringing in innovation where it matters the most for [the] consumer, and removing the clutter. This will be seen through [the] Nokia line up coming to life again.” he said.
Nokia made its last smartphone in 2014, before selling the mobile business to Microsoft, which sold phones under Nokia’s Lumia brand for a while, but has since killed that branding off.
HMD since snapped up ownership of the Nokia brand for smartphones and tablets, and seems to be planning four new devices for next year.
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Let us know what you’re expecting from the new Nokia phones in the commments.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.