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HMD Global unveils five Nokia smartphones

Paul Lipscombe
April 8, 2021

The X series features two 5G-ready smartphones for sub-£320

HMD Global, the global licensee of the Nokia brand has today (April 8) unveiled five new smartphones to the series.

The five smartphones include the Nokia X20, X10, G20, G10 and C20, with all three product lines coming with regular security updates.

Nokia’s X range is the premium segment and features the Nokia X20 and X10, with the two phones coming with three-years’ worth of monthly security updates, plus three-years extended OS warranty.

Both phones in the X series are 5G-ready and powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 chipset.

Meanwhile the G series is the mid-range offering and features the G20 and G10 smartphones, both of which also come with monthly security updates and two-years OS.

With the C20 smartphone joining the entry level C series, which qualifies the handset for quarterly security updates.

All five handsets also come with Android 11 straight out of the box.

5G-ready: Nokia’s X20 smartphone from behind

Commenting on the launch HMD Global CEO Florian Seiche said: “Today is more momentous than a regular product launch. The past 12 months have no doubt been challenging, yet they also gave us a moment to pause, think and prepare for the next big step in our start-up journey.

“The launch of HMD Mobile – a milestone in our journey to a holistic provider of all things mobile – amplifies this, and it is only the beginning.

We want you to trust that we put security at the heart of everything we do – Nokia smartphones come with security and software updates for extra piece of mind. And we want people to keep their phones for longer, thanks to our signature durability.”

Specs

The Nokia X20 features a 64MP quad camera on the rear, along with a 32MP front camera and has a 6.67-inch punch-hole display.

The Nokia X10 (pictured below) has a 48MP quad-camera that comes with cinematic capture and has a 6.67-inch display.

Nokia’s G series is slightly smaller, with the G20 boasting a 6.5-inch display and features a quad camera set up, plus a 5,050mAh battery.

Meanwhile the G10 has a triple-camera on the rear, is the same size as the G20 and also has the same sized battery.

Nokia’s entry-level handset the C20 has a 6.5-inch display, with a 5MP camera on the front and rear, plus a removable 3,000mAh battery.

Pricing and availability

Select retailers will hold stock of the Nokia X20 from April 19, with the handset available in either ‘midnight sun’ or ‘Nordic blue’ colour options.

There are two variants available with the 6GB of RAM and 128GB storage model costing £299.99 and the 8GB RAM variant, also with 128GB storage available exclusively via Nokia.com for £319.99.

Meanwhile the other X series model the X10 will begin from £249.99 (6/64GB) and hit the UK from June.

There is also a 4GB RAM/128GB storage variant available from Three for £269.

The Nokia G20 (below) will be available in the UK from Nokia.com and select retailers in May in Night and Glacier colour options for £134.99 (4/64GB).

While the Nokia G10 (above) will be available in the UK from Nokia.com and select retailers end of April for £109.99 (3/32GB).

HMD’s entry-level handset the Nokia C20 will arrive in the UK from early June with Three for £79 (1/16GB).

Market position

CCS Insight chief of research Ben Wood says that the latest offering from HMD Global is reflective of where the brand sits in the current smartphone market.

“It feels as though HMD Global has recognised that it is futile trying to compete in the premium £1000+ smartphone market against Apple, Samsung and the growing number of Chinese smartphone makers.

“It appears to have made a conscious decision to focus on mid- and low-tier smartphones where the Nokia brand remains strongest, and the six new devices announced today reflect this.”

He adds that the new naming of the series is more beneficial for the brand that previous handsets such as the Nokia 3.4, for example.

The companies’ close ties to Google also provides customers with a secure and trusted brand, adds Wood.

“HMD Global’s close relationship with Google, which is an investor in the company, has meant that it has always focused heavily on having the latest Android software updates. This approach continues with the new devices, which all come with commitments for on-going software improvements.

“This is attractive to consumers who are keeping their mobile phones for longer than ever, however as more phone makers make commitments to multi-year software updates it is becoming less of a differentiator for HMD Global.”

Entry-level: Nokia’s cheapest option the C20 comes in from £79

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