With Nokia 9 HMD Global Aims to Restore Luster to Mobile Brand Name

Nokia was once among the most popular mobile phone brands in the world dating back to the 1990s. But Nokia phones were shunted aside by the Apple iPhone and Google Android smartphones. Even Microsoft couldn’t rescue the brand by acquiring Nokia mobile hardware business for $7.1 billion. But now HMD Global has been working return Nokia to prominence in the smartphone market buy making new Android smartphones under a licensing agreement with the Finnish parent company. Current handsets, such as the Nokia 6, are designed for budget-conscious shoppers. But a rumored new handset, to be named the Nokia 9, take am at the top of the market and compete with Apple and Samsung. HMD has remained silent on Nokia 9’s features, but the smartphone is expected to make its debut in January with high end features. Read on to learn more.

Some reports have suggested that if it has the right design and competitive features, the Nokia 9 could help HMD Global return the Nokia branded smartphones back to prominence in the mobile market. However, HMD Global wants Nokia handsets to appeal to appear to all smartphone market levels with the goal of build sales particularly in emerging market. A high-end Nokia 9 is just part of the company broader mobile market strategy.

Images leaked in October showed a smartphone with a screen that covers nearly its entire face and curved edges on either side. The Nokia 9 will have a matte finish rather than the typical glossy look. Altogether the Nokia 9 might look similar to the Galaxy S8 and the upcoming Galaxy S9.

According to documents HMD Global filed with the Federal Communications Commission, the Nokia 9 will come with a 5.5-inch display. The screen will rely on OLED technology and because it will cover the smartphone’s face, its aspect ratio will extend up to 18.5:9.

HMD Global is planning a dual-lens, vertically aligned camera array with Carl Zeiss lenses and 22 megapixels sensors in the Nokia 9. The camera positioning is similar to the way it is in the iPhone X. One of them will be designed for telephoto shots and the other will deliver wide-angle captures. A 12-megapixel front-facing camera will also come with the Nokia 9, according to reports.

Although Samsung and others are expected to launch devices early next year with the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 process, the Nokia 9 is expected to ship with the Snapdragon 835. While that chip is still powerful, it won’t have the most advanced available chip offered by competing handsets.

HMD Global is said to be readying a 3,500mAh battery in the Nokia 9. The smartphone will use an USB-C connector for fast charging and will also have wireless-charging components.

There’s some debate over which Android version HMD Global will choose in the Nokia 9. Some rumors have suggested that HMD Global will opt for last year’s Android Nougat, while others suggest the company will install the latest operating system version, Android Oreo. The latter would be the better and more secure choice.

Biometric technology will be available in full force on the Nokia 9. There will be a fingerprint sensor installed below the smartphone’s rear cameras as well as an iris scanner on the front to provide another layer of security. There’s no word, however, whether the Nokia 9 will have a face scanner.

Reports had been swirling that HMD Global was planning a late-2017 announcement for the Nokia 9, but that’s apparently not going to happen. Now all eyes are on CES 2018 scheduled for January 9-12 and the likely venue for the handset’s debut. While it seems likely, it’s not confirmed, that the Nokia 9 will show up at CES.

Although It’s believed that the Nokia 9 will reach the market sometimes in January there is no solid information about an actual shipping date. There’s also no word yet on how much the handset will cost, but with competitors offering devices near $1,000 and more, look for the Nokia 9 to undercut that price point somewhat, but still carry a high-end price.