Nokia 8 Sirocco: HMD Global To Resurrect One More Iconic Brand

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Last year, HMD Global launched a revamped version of the iconic Nokia 3310, which sold pretty well in emerging markets such as India. The Finnish company has promised an “awesome” MWC event on February 25th, where it would unveil several new smartphones. Fresh evidence suggests that HMD Global might be planning to resurrect one more iconic brand by unveiling the Nokia 8 Sirocco at the MWC next month.

TA-1005 is Nokia 8 Sirocco, not Nokia 9

Dutch publication MobielKopen reports that HMD Global, which has the license to sell Nokia-branded phones worldwide, has trademarked the name ‘Nokia 8 Sirocco’ with model number TA-1005 in Thailand. The publication claims that the 2018 Nokia 8 could be called Nokia 8 Sirocco. Interestingly, the same model number TA-1005 was earlier linked to the flagship Nokia 9. TA-1005 has already received certification from the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

NokiaPowerUser reports that the TA-1005 is Nokia 8 Sirocco rather than the Nokia 9. Earlier this month, the name Nokia 8 Sirocco was also spotted in the camera app APK teardown of the Android Oreo beta build for Nokia 5. The APK teardown also revealed the Nokia 8 Sirocco logo along with Zeiss branding, which indicates that the device would use Carl Zeiss lenses similar to last year’s Nokia 8.

The FCC has already spilled the beans on the TA-1005, which is Nokia 8 Sirocco. According to FCC documents, the handset would feature a 5.5-inch Quad HD OLED display made by LG Display, a 3250mAh battery, 6GB RAM and 128GB of internal storage. Last year’s Nokia 8 had 4GB RAM and 64GB storage. The Sirocco variant would feature 12MP+13MP dual camera setup on the back, but will have only a 5MP camera on the front for selfies.

That would be a downgrade from the Nokia 8’s 13MP front snapper. The Nokia 8 Sirocco would run last year’s Snapdragon 835 chipset rather than the latest Snapdragon 845 SoC. It is also expected to have the Bothie camera that allows you to shoot videos and photos with both the front and rear cameras at the same time. HMD Global might also include the OZO surround sound technology to enhance the audio experience.

Is it all about nostalgia?

If HMD Global launches the Nokia 8 Sirocco, it would be a throwback to the iconic Nokia 8800 Sirocco. It was launched in 2006 as the premium version of Nokia 8800, and named after the Mediterranean wind coming from the Sahara desert. At the time, Nokia differentiated the Sirocco model from the regular Nokia 8800 by offering a sapphire glass covering, a glossy steel body, a 262K TFT display, and a leather case in the box.

The Nokia 8800 Sirocco was the most expensive Nokia handset when it came out more than a decade ago. HMD Global has already brought the Nokia 3310 back to life in a new avatar. The device has a few modern features, but it adheres to its roots. The Finnish company is also planning to launch a 4G variant of Nokia 3310 next month, which would run Android-based YunOS.

HMD to refresh its smartphone lineup at MWC

HMD Global is scheduled to hold a press event on February 25th in Barcelona, a day before the MWC kicks off. The company is expected to launch a plethora of smartphones at the event including the Nokia 8 Sirocco, Nokia 9, Nokia 7 Plus, Nokia 4, and Nokia 3310 4G variant. HMD is said to be working on a phone with five rear cameras, which could also be showcased at the event.

The company is also expected to unveil a budget phone called Nokia 1. According to the rumor mill, Nokia 1 would be based on Google’s Android Go. It will be sold primarily in emerging markets such as India. The handset is said to feature 1GB RAM and 8GB storage. The Nokia 1 would run lightweight apps such as Google Go, Google Maps Go, and Files Go. HMD’s chief product officer Juho Sarvikas has promised fans that the company’s MWC press event is going to be “awesome.”

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