If you have been looking for a reliable phone with a big battery life, your search might be over. HMD Global has announced the Nokia 2 phone with a 4,100 mAh battery, which the company claims can last for two days on a single charge.
Impressive battery and affordable price
The entry-level Nokia 2 phone sports a 5-inch HD display (1280 x 720 LCD screen covered with Gorilla Glass 3) and is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 212 chipset. It has a 5MP front-facing camera, while the rear camera is 8MP with LED flash and features automatic scene detection and auto focus. The handset comes with Android Nougat preinstalled and is fitted with 1GB of RAM, and 8GB of onboard memory (expandable to 128GB with a microSD card). HMD earlier promised that its Nokia-branded smartphones would eventually be upgraded to Android Oreo. When exactly that will be upgraded is unclear for now.
These specs are normal, and that is why, to make the phone unique, HMD is focusing on two selling points – its massive battery and pricing. The Nokia 2, scheduled for release in mid-November, is priced at €99 (US$115). The handset, milled from 6000 series aluminum, will be available in three color options: Pewter/Black, Pewter/White, and Copper/Black. The phone has a poly-carbonate back. Further, the company claims it to be the first device in the entry-level segment to feature Google Assistant. In addition, the handset comes with unlimited photo and video storage on Google Photos.
“We don’t think you should have to do less with your phone which is why we created a smartphone that can power through when other devices need a pit stop… Every component of the Nokia 2 — from the display to battery, chipset to system design — has been engineered to draw as little power as possible from the huge battery,” said HMD’s chief product officer, Juho Sarvikas, in a press release.
Nokia 2 phone – could help reestablish iconic brand
Citing a survey by Qualcomm and Counterpoint, HMD says that in the $100-$150 segment, battery life is the most desired smartphone quality followed by the screen size and quality, 4G LTE connectivity, and a camera. The addition of the Nokia 2 to the current lineup will be a big boost for the company, which is working hard to reestablish an iconic brand. HMD has launched several Nokia-branded phones so far, including Nokia 6, Nokia 5, Nokia 3, Nokia 8 and the reincarnated version of the Nokia 3310.
Qualcomm India head Larry Paulson believes that Nokia’s comeback is a positive story, according to Business Today. Acknowledging that it’s a different world now than when Nokia was the leader, Paulson said the smartphone market is big with space for several brands to operate successfully. “If Nokia executes, they have a solid chance of being a winner in the market,” Paulson said.
As of now, there is no information if the phone will launch in the U.S., but considering the previous Nokia releases, it is questionable. Nevertheless, given the price point and features, the Nokia 2 shows a lot of potential to keep the iconic brand alive in the emerging markets.
