HMD Global is having a surprise launch event on October 18th that will apparently be available for sale on TMall. This is somewhat of an unexpected unveiling and it has us wondering what HMD Global could have up their sleeve. Of course, HMD Global is the company that has the rights to market the Nokia brand around the world.
There are three potential new Nokia smartphone devices that HMD Global could be revealing and each of them has their own level of intrigue.
The first device that this reveal could hold is the updated version of the Nokia 8. This has been rumored for some time now and it would be good timing for HMD Global to get this device to market before the holiday season. We recently saw this new version of the Nokia 8 get FCC certification which is required for devices launching in the United States. The new, updated Nokia 8 is said to have more RAM and more onboard storage. Early rumors suggested this device would be focused on the North American market but, of course, rumors are never set in stone. Perhaps HMD Global wants to reveal their more powerful Nokia 8 in China first and then bring the device to North America. It wouldn’t be the first time be saw a device manufacturer launch a special, more powerful version of their smartphone for the Chinese market. Samsung did this with the Galaxy S8+ Emperor Edition and there have been rumors that there would also be a Galaxy Note 8 Emperor Edition.
There is also the possibility that this new Nokia smartphone about to be revealed is the long awaited Nokia 7. The Nokia 7 is supposed to be a mid-range offering which would be perfect for a huge, growing market like China. The rumored specs of the Nokia 7 have it coming with 3GB of RAM and a Snapdragon 620. Those specs won’t blow your mind but they would help make for a respectable device with the popular Nokia brand name to back it up. Remember: not everyone wants to drop $999 on an iPhone X.
Finally, the third potential device that may be revealed is something entirely new that we have not heard about before. This is unlikely as HMD Global has not shown themselves to be very good at keeping device launches under wraps. The Nokia 8 was leaked months and months before it’s official reveal. Still, never say never. There is a possibility (a very slim possibility) that Nokia has a big surprise for us that we did not expect. Could this be an entirely new Nokia smartphone? I won’t hold my breath but I won’t completely dismiss the idea either.
If I was a betting man then I would put my money on the Nokia 7 reveal. This rumored device was made for markets like China where there is a huge potential base of consumers who are looking for solid mid-range devices from trusted brands like Nokia. Of course, I’m always open to being surprised. Luckily, we won’t have to wait long to see what HMD Global has in store for us. Stay tuned for the big launch – we’ll bring you the news as it comes along.
