Nokia 8 will be HMD Global’s first Nokia-branded smartphone in the premium segment. The Finnish company has so far launched only low- and mid-range smartphones. HMD Global is set to unveil the Nokia 8 (and hopefully Nokia 9) at a special event in London on August 16th. Ahead of the much-awaited unveiling, multiple benchmark listings have revealed Nokia 8 specs, confirming many of the previously rumored features.
Nokia 8 specs, model numbers
Noted tipster Roland Quandt of WinFuture first reported the spotting of Nokia 8 on GFXBench, GeekBench, and AnTuTu benchmarks. Three devices with model numbers TA-1004, TA-1012, and TA-1052 were listed on GFXBench. Interestingly, the benchmark listing mentions all three devices as Nokia 9. The model number TA-1004 has previously been linked with Nokia 8. The specifications also suggest that it’s Nokia 8.
Nokia 8 specs leaked by GFXBench: 5.3in 2K, SD835, 4/64GB, 12/12MP cams etc: https://t.co/3WcI5zRN95 pic.twitter.com/3sgjooU95e
— Roland Quandt (@rquandt) July 31, 2017
The rumor mill claims HMD Global will launch two variants of Nokia 8 – one with a single SIM and another with dual SIM support. The GFXBench listing brings key Nokia 8 specs to light. It reveals that the device will sport a 5.3-inch display with 1440 x 2560 resolution. The touchscreen will also offer five finger gesture support. The upcoming Nokia-branded flagship will run Android Nougat out of the box.
Other Nokia 8 specs include 4GB RAM and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 835 processor along with Adreno 540 GPU. The listing indicates that the device will come with 64GB of internal storage, of which 51GB will be available to users. For photography, the smartphone will have a 12-megapixel rear camera and a 12-megapixel front-snapper. Both the front and rear cameras will be capable of recording 4K videos.
The Nokia 8 camera would feature a dual LED flash, face detection, autofocus, HDR mode, and touch focus. Nokia 8 will, in all likelihood, come with a dual camera system on the back. But some benchmark listings often describe the specifications of only one lens. Previous leaks have shown that the dual cameras would be arranged vertically.
The AnTuTu listing for model numbers TA-1004 and TA-1052 confirm the specs listed on GFXBench. AnTuTu also suggests the handset will run Android Nougat and come with a 5.3-inch Quad HD display. Where it differs from GFXBench is the camera department. According to AnTuTu, the Nokia 8 will have two 13-megapixel sensors on the back, instead of 12MP listed on GFXBench. This could be a rounding error, though.
The GeekBench listing of model numbers TA-1004 and TA-1052 shows the smartphone with similar features as the other two benchmark listings.
Early prototype of Nokia 8 on sale in China
Meanwhile, a seller on Chinese platform Taobao has started selling an early prototype of Nokia 8 in gold-copper color, reports GSMArena. It’s an engineering sample rather than the final version of the device as it lacks the Zeiss logo next to the camera lenses. HMD Global has joined hands with Carl Zeiss to enhance the camera capabilities of its flagship smartphones.
Earlier leaks have shown Carl Zeiss branding next to the rear camera sensors on the Nokia 8. If it turns out to be true, Nokia 8 will be the first Nokia-branded Android smartphone to sport Zeiss lens.
Nokia 8 price and design
HMD Global has already sent out press invites for its August 16 press event. The rumor mill claims the Nokia 8 will be priced at $549 or $599. That’s the price you’d expect for a smartphone that targets the same segment as the iPhones and Samsung Galaxy phones. The Android market is highly competitive in terms of pricing. Chinese vendors such as Huawei and OnePlus offer premium specs at less than $500.
While most flagship smartphones are moving to an edge-to-edge OLED display with no physical home button, the Nokia 8 will likely stick to the traditional design. According to images leaked by Evan Blass, the phone will have a physical home button that will house the fingerprint scanner. There will be two other capacitive buttons on either side of the home button for navigation.
https://twitter.com/evleaks/status/886984401875333120
The Nokia 8 is expected to feature an LCD screen rather than a more advanced OLED panel. The OLED screens remain scarce due to heavy demand from Apple and Samsung. Google is also trying to secure the supply of OLED panels for its upcoming Pixel 2 phones. The Nokia 8 is rumored to feature Quick Charge 3.0 fast-charging technology, but its battery size is not yet known. It is said to retain the 3.5mm headphone jack.
Nokia 8 to run pure Android
The upcoming flagship will run the pure version of Android Nougat without any bloatware. It will help HMD Global push out faster software updates. Most other Android phones are loaded with tons of bloatware than slow the phone down. Other vendors are also slow in sending out software updates. So, it could help HMD Global differentiate its phones from the competition.
However, all the powerful Nokia 8 specs may not be sufficient to challenge the iPhone 8 or Galaxy S8. These devices have beautiful edge-to-edge screens with minimal bezels. The iPhone 8 will also bring augmented reality applications.
