Nokia has unveiled three new smartphones at this year’s Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, with a classic Nokia phone also set to be re-released, the only problem is that it runs on a 2G network which carriers like Telstra are dumping.
HMD Global, the company that is licensed to use the Nokia brand, announced the new mid-range Nokia 6 and Nokia 5 smartphones, as well as the budget Nokia 3 that sits at the lower end of the market.
All three smartphones feature “pure Android” with no pre-installed software from Nokia for a “simple, clean and clutter free experience,” with the added benefit of regular updates from Google and the inclusion of the Google Assistant.
Both the Nokia 6, which was previously announced for China only, and the Nokia 5 are powered by a Snapdragon 430 processor, and both are also constructed with a single block of aluminium.
The Nokia 6 features a 5.5-inch full HD display, 3GB of RAM, 32GB of storage plus Dolby Atmos sound, and will also be available in an ‘Arte Black Limited Edition’ with 64GB of storage and 4GB RAM. The Nokia 5 features a slightly smaller 5.2-inch IPS HD display, 2GB of RAM and 16GB of storage.
Rounding out the new smartphones is the budget Nokia 3, with a MTK 6737 quad-core processor, 5-inch display, 2GB of RAM and 16GB of storage.
“Nokia phones stir real emotions; people know them for their beautiful design and craftsmanship, together with a built-to-last quality that you can rely on,” said Juho Sarvikas, HMD Global’s Chief Product Officer.
“Our new portfolio combines these classic Nokia hallmarks with a best-in-class Android performance and a new level of craftsmanship. For the Nokia 3310 we just couldn’t resist. We wanted to reward loyal Nokia phone fans and make a statement that rich heritage, innovation and modern design can go hand-in-hand.”
But the Nokia 3310, which Nokia is touting as a “modern classic reborn” by featuring a familiar durable design in four colours, will not be functional on any Australian networks from later this year due to its reliance on 2G connectivity.
Telstra’s 2G network has already been shut down, while Optus will finalise the closure of its 2G network on August 1 and Vodafone on September 30.
All of Nokia’s new products are set to become available in Q2. The Nokia 6 will be available in Matte Black, Silver, Tempered Blue and Copper for an average global retail price of ?229, or about $315, while the Nokia 5 will be available in the same colours for ?189, or $260.
The Nokia 3 will launch in Silver White, Matte Black, Tempered Blue and Copper White for ?139, or $191, and the Nokia 3310 will be available in glossy Warm Red and Yellow variations or matte Dark Blue and Gray colours for ?49, or $67.
