HMD Global made a splash at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) by unveiling the premium Nokia 8 Sirocco. It ticks all the right boxes. Well, almost. Since it’s Android One-branded, you can expect it to receive faster Android updates. It has a beautiful bezel-less design with top of the line specs. However, the Nokia 8 Sirocco comes with an older Snapdragon 835 processor and a disappointing 5-megapixel selfie camera. Benchmark tests show that the Nokia 8 Sirocco is still a potent smartphone. But the use of last year’s processor would turn off a lot of buyers, especially when Samsung and Sony have launched phones running the latest Snapdragon 845 SoC. New reports suggest that HMD Global is planning to launch Nokia 8 Pro and Nokia 9 later this year with an upgraded processor and better selfie camera.
Sources familiar with the matter told NokiaPowerUser that the Finnish company is working to launch two premium smartphones during the third quarter (July-September) of this year. One of them will be Nokia 8 Pro, and another would be Nokia 9. A phone that was previously rumored to be Nokia 9 actually turned out to be Nokia 8 Sirocco. NokiaPowerUser says the new phones will most likely launch in August.
The Nokia 8 Pro will be powered by Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 845 chipset, fixing the biggest drawback of the Nokia 8 Sirocco. It is rumored to have a 5.5-inch or 6-inch display, and an improved camera with Carl Zeiss lens. It may also feature the rumored five-camera setup on the back. According to HowToTechNaija, the Nokia 8 Pro would offer 6GB/8GB RAM, 64GB and 128GB storage options, and a huge 4,000mAh battery with wireless charging.
Sources told HowToTechNaija that the Nokia 8 Pro would sport two 16-megapixel lenses on the back and an upgraded 13-megapixel sensor on the front. It is said to feature a USB Type-C port, and run Android Oreo out of the box. Nokia 9 will also be powered by the same Snapdragon 845 chipset. We can expect this device to be slightly more expensive than Nokia 8 Pro. The Nokia 9 is also rumored to feature the five-lens camera on the back.
It isn’t yet clear how the Nokia 9 would differ from Nokia 8 Pro. Both the devices would sport a bezel-less display with 18:9 aspect ratio and the same Snapdragon 845 processor. NokiaPowerUser claims that the Nokia 9 would feature an in-display fingerprint reader while the Nokia 8 Pro’s fingerprint scanner would be placed on the back. Chinese vendor Vivo has already launched a smartphone with an in-display fingerprint sensor. So, it isn’t out of the realm of possibility for HMD Global.
Though consumers would certainly welcome the upgraded processor and improved camera, HMD Global is launching too many phones with only minor differences. It could end up confusing customers. The rumors about Nokia 9 and Nokia 8 Pro could hurt the sales of newly launched Nokia 8 Sirocco. If consumers know that the company is going to launch better, more powerful phones in just a few months, they may choose to wait for the upcoming devices rather than buying Sirocco.
The recently unveiled Nokia 8 Sirocco offers a 5.5-inch bezel-less P-OLED display with 2560 x 1440 resolution. It has a premium glass and metal design, 6GB RAM, 128GB of internal storage, and Android 8.0 Oreo. Since it has a glass back, the device offers wireless charging capabilities. The Sirocco will be available in April with a starting price of 749 euros.
HMD Global has removed the 3.5mm headphone jack, which means you’ll have to use Bluetooth or USB-C headphones, or rely on a USB-C to 3.5mm headphone jack adapter included in the box. The Sirocco includes a decent 3,260mAh battery. In the camera department, it has a 12-megapixel and a 13-megapixel camera on the rear panel and a 5-megapixel selfie camera. The fingerprint scanner sits on the rear panel.
HMD Global has used Zeiss optics on the Nokia 8 Sirocco. The device also has Nokia’s signature “Bothie” feature that allows you to take photos and videos using both the front and rear cameras simultaneously. The Sirocco also has a new Pro Camera mode that would remind you of the old Nokia Lumia’s Pro mode. You can change the shutter speed, exposure, ISO, focus, and white balance via Pro Mode. The upcoming Nokia 8 Pro and Nokia 9 are also expected to feature the Pro Mode.
