HMD Global launches much-awaited Nokia 6 (2018), Nokia 7 Plus, Nokia 8 Sirocco in India

Users have been avidly waiting for Nokia Mobiles and their parent company, HMD Global, to launch their phones in India since the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2018. Today Nokia Mobiles launched four of those smartphones in to the Indian market, including the their flagship variant, the Nokia 8 Sirocco.

The other three phones to make it in to the launch today were the Nokia 7 Plus, Nokia 6 (2018) and Nokia 1. 

Within their ‘Nokia Town’ setup Pekka, Chief Marketing Officer for HMD Global, stated that “Nokia has never launched this many products in India before.”

In the last year, HMD Global sold 70 million Nokia phones world wide. The company went on to stat that Nokia has plans to grow India. They’ve already increased their sales 5-fold in the past 8 months, but also have plans of expanding their ecosystem and portfolio with the aim of empowering innovation. 

Their plans also continue with “Make in India” and continued penetration into the 4G feature phone market. 

Nokia Mobile Shop

The Nokia Mobile Shop was officially launched. The online portal for Nokia phones will allow users to buy Nokia from the exclusive platform. Ajey Mehta, HMD Global Vice President, stated that this endeavor was initiated to increase the brands reach and give more accessibility to customers. 

Nokia 1

The Nokia 1 is Nokia’s Android Oreo (Go-edition) variant. They claim that the phone will be faster and more efficient. It’s been selling in the country for a week now and is available in two colors, the warm red and dark blue. 

Though there isn’t a lot that stands out about the phone aside from its new operating system, HMD Global has also announced the return of the Xpress-on covers that are available in 5 different shades. 

Launched on March 18, the phone costs Rs 5,999 though there is a special cashback for Jio customers. 

Nokia 6 (2018)

Its predecessor was claimed to be one of the more durable phones and its successor has plans to follow to suit. The phone’s launch today stressed on how carving the phone out of a block of aluminium plays into Nokia 6 (2018)’s strength design. HMD Global’s signature "anodisation" process gives the phone smooth edges. 

A new feature of the Nokia 6 this year are its Zeiss optics along with the ‘Bothie’ feature, both of which will be available on every Nokia device in 2018. 

The Nokia 6 (2018) runs on the Snapdragon 630 making it 60 percent faster than last year’s model. The phone also features fast charging, which HMD Global claims they added due to popular demand.

The phone is available in three colors, namely, blue, ivory and black. 

It will go on sale on April 6 costing Rs 16,999 putting the phone in competition with the recently launched, Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 and Note 5 Pro.

Nokia 7 Plus

The Nokia 7 Plus is a big phone with a 6-inch display, that keeps from looking bulky due to the slim built of the phone. The slimness of the phone basically contributes to the fact that the user can have a large screen experience, which easily fits in their pocket. It promises to give 2 days of usage on a single charge. 

The Nokia 6 (2018) may have had anodised edges, but the Nokia 7 Plus was built with “double anodisation” which apparently makes it superior according to HMD Global. 

The phone has 3 Zeiss lenses, two in the dual camera setup around back and one for the selfie camera in the front. HMD also claims that due to the superior quality of the lens and dual structure, the camera gives “flagship level imaging” and is supposed to have great low light performance.

The device will be available in black copper and white copper. 

It's going to go on sale on April 30, though users can start pre-booking their devices starting on April 20 at the price of Rs 25,999.

Nokia 8 Sirocco

Featuring 3D vacuum molded Gorilla Glass around the front and the back of the phone, it manages to cover 95 percent of the Nokia 8 Sirocco. In addition to this, the flagship offering comes with an IP67 rating making it dust and water resistant. 

Like the other phones launched, the Nokia 8 Sirocco with also have Zeiss optics, Pro mode shooting and the Bothie feature. However, unlike the other variants, the flagship model comes with the option of the Face Unlock feature and Nokia’s first AI imaging suite.

Overall, its nice to see the Nokia phones finally being launched in India. Their specs seem at par with the industry standards but their performance is yet to be seen. The Nokia Mobile Shop should provide Nokia the boost that it needs to increase awareness in the market about its products.