Nokia, once a top cell phones manufacturer (pre-iPhone) made a comeback in 2017 with a line of Android smartphones. In 2018, it continued the comeback in a big way with five new phones – Nokia 8110 4G, Nokia 1, Nokia 7 Plus, Nokia 6 (2018) and Nokia 8 Sirocco – announced in February.
At the end of 2016, a company called HMD Global gained the rights to make and sell smartphones under the Nokia brand. Nokia phones were very popular in Europe as the company has headquarters in Finland. The Nokia Androids are often released in China first before getting a global launch. Some of the Nokia models discussed below are available globally, and even those that don’t have an official U.S. release are available for purchase online.
The newest Nokia smartphones include low-end, mid-range, and high-end devices, but all of them have stock Android, meaning users will get the pure Android experience, rather than a customized version, such as Samsung’s TouchWiz interface.
Despite the numbered naming convention, the devices did not always launch in numerical order. For example, in this list, as you’ll see, there are three versions of the Nokia 6, and the Nokia 2 was announced months after the Nokia 3 and 5. The Nokia 1 was announced even later. So bear with the numbering (we’ve listed phones in the order of release) and read on!
Nokia 8 Sirocco
Display: 5.5-in touchscreenResolution: 1440x2560Front camera: 5 MPRear camera: 12 MPCharger type: USB-CRAM: 6GB/128GB storageInitial Android version: 8.0 OreoFinal Android version: UndeterminedRelease date: May 2018 (Global)
The Nokia 8 Sirocco is the company’s latest flagship phone. It’s got all the bells and whistles you might need, including six sensors: Compass Magnetometer, Proximity sensor, Accelerometer, Ambient light sensor, Gyroscope and Barometer.
The phone comes with a 5.50-inch touchscreen display with a resolution of 1440 pixels by 2560 pixels.
Powered by an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor, the Nokia 8 Sirocco comes with 6GB of RAM. The phone packs 128GB of internal storage that, unfortunately, cannot be expanded. From a camera perspective, the Nokia 8 Sirocco includes a 12-megapixel primary camera on the rear and a 5-megapixel front shooter for selfies.
The Nokia 8 Sirocco runs on Android 8.0 and includes a 3260mAh non removable battery. It measures 140.93 x 72.97 x 7.50 (height x width x thickness).
Nokia 7 Plus
Display: 6-in full HD+ IPSResolution: 2160 x 1080 @ 401ppiFront camera: 8 MPDual Rear cameras: 16 MPVideo Recording: 4KCharger type: USB-CRAM: 4GB/64GB storageInitial Android version: 8.0 Oreo/Android Go editionFinal Android version: UndeterminedRelease date: May 2018 (Global)
The Nokia 7 Plus is a step up from the Nokia 6 in size, resolution and capacity. The key highlight of this phone lies in its three ultra-senstive cameras: the dual rear camera offers a 12-megapixel, wide-angle primary lens with an f/2.6 aperture, 1-micron pixels and 2x optical zoom while the front camera includes a fixed-focus offering of 16 megapixels, an f/2.0 aperture, 1-micron pixels, and Zeiss optics.
Sensors on this phone are exceptional: There is an accelerometer, ambient light sensor, digital compass, gyroscope, proximity sensor, and a rear-facing fingerprint sensor. In addition, the phone includes spatial audio with 3 microphones.
It’s rated to deliver a talk time up 19 hours and a standby time of 723 hours.
Nokia 6 (2018)
Display: 5.5-in IPS LCDResolution: 1920 x 1080 @ 401ppiFront camera: 8 MPRear camera: 16 MPCharger type: USB-CRAM: 3 GB/32 GB storage or 4GB/64GB storageInitial Android version: 8.1 Oreo/Android Go editionFinal Android version: UndeterminedRelease date: May 2018 (Global)
This third iteration of the Nokia 6 is actually the global edition of the China-only Nokia 6 (noted in this roundup below). This version offers Android Go and 8.1 Oreo with the same key upgrades announced in the Chinese version: a USB-C port, which supports fast charging; a zippier Snapdragon 630 SoC, with 3GB or 4GB of LPDDR4 RAM; and a smaller profile.
It also offers wireless charging, facial recognition and your choice of three colors: black, copper, or white.
The Nokia 6 (2018) also features Dual Sight, which some reviewers are calling “bothie” mode, for taking photos and videos from the rear and forward-facing cameras simultaneously.
The Nokia 6 comes in 32 GB and 64 GB and has a microSD slot for cards up to 128 GB.
Nokia 1
Display: 4.5-in FWVGAResolution: 480x854 pixelsFront camera: 2 MP fixed-focus cameraRear camera: 5 MP fixed-focus lens with LED flashCharger type: USB-CStorage: 8 GBInitial Android version: 8.1 Oreo (Go edition)Final Android version: UndeterminedRelease date: April 2018 (Global)
The Nokia 1 comes in red or a dark blue and runs on 8.1 Oreo (Go edition).
This budget smartphone includes 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth v4.2, GPS/ A-GPS, FM radio, Micro-USB, and a 3.5mm audio jack. It also includes multiple sensors, such as an accelerometer, ambient light sensor, and a proximity sensor. The 2150mAh battery is expected to deliver up to 9 hours of talk time and up to 15 days of standby time.
Nokia 8110 4G
Display: 2.4-in QVGAResolution: 240x320 pixelsRear camera: 2 MP with LED flashCharger type: USB-CRAM: 256 MBInitial Android version: 8.1 Oreo (Go edition)Final Android version: UndeterminedRelease date: May 2018 (Global)
Part of the ‘Originals’ family from Nokia, this retro phone harks back to the popular movie, The Matrix. The lead character, Neo, carried a ‘banana phone’ similar to the 8110 4G. It sells globally for about $75 and comes in black or yellow.
This phone features the same curved design from the movie, comes in black and yellow, and offers users a slider keyboard. The main upgrades include a switch to the KaiOS operating system, a custom OS based on Firefox OS; integration with Google Assistant, built-in access to apps like Facebook and Twitter, and a Wi-Fi hotspot.
The Go edition of Android offers users a similar experience to Oreo but in a lightweight fashion.
Nokia 6 (second generation)
Display: 5.5-in IPS LCDResolution: 1920 x 1080 @ 401ppiFront camera: 8 MPRear camera: 16 MPCharger type: USB-CInitial Android version: 7.1.1 NougatFinal Android version: UndeterminedRelease date: January 2018 (China only)
The second generation of the Nokia 6 arrived in early 2018 but only in China. We expect it might land in the U.S. and globally as its predecessor, discussed below, did. The main upgrades are a USB-C port, which supports fast charging, a zippier Snapdragon 630 processor, and a slightly smaller profile. While it ships with Android 7.1.1 Nougat, the company promises support for Android Oreo down the road.
It also features Dual Sight, which some reviewers are calling “bothie” mode, with which you can take photo and video from the rear and forward facing cameras simultaneously. You can see this feature above on the Nokia 8 model, which is not available in the U.S.
Nokia 2
Display: 5-in IPS LCDResolution: 1280 x 720 @ 294ppiFront camera: 5 MPRear camera: 8 MPCharger type: micro USBInitial Android version: 7.1.2 NougatFinal Android version: UndeterminedRelease date: November 2017
One notable claim is that this smartphone can last two days on one charge, powered by 4,100-milliamp Hour (mAh) battery. On the other hand, since it has a micro USB charging port, it doesn’t support fast charging as USB-C devices do. Its microSD slot accepts cards up to 128 GB, which you’ll need as the smartphone has only 8 GB of built-in storage.
Nokia 6
Display: 5.5 in IPS LCDResolution: 1,920 x 1,080 @ 403ppiFront camera: 8 MPRear camera: 16 MPCharger type: micro USBInitial Android version: 7.1.1 NougatFinal Android version: UndeterminedRelease date: February 2017
Nokia 5 and Nokia 3
Nokia 5Display: 5.2 in IPS LCDResolution: 1,280 x 720 @ 282ppiFront camera: 8 MPRear camera: 13 MPCharger type: micro USBInitial Android version: 7.1.1 NougatFinal Android version: UndeterminedRelease date: February 2017
Nokia 3Display: 5 in IPS LCDResolution: 1,280 x 720 @ 293ppiFront camera: 8 MPRear camera: 8 MPCharger type: micro USBInitial Android version: 7.1.1 NougatFinal Android version: UndeterminedRelease date: February 2017
The Nokia 5 and Nokia 3 were announced alongside the Nokia 6, discussed above, though the company has no plans to bring either phone to the US. Both of these unlocked smartphones are available for purchase online, though, and will work on AT&T and T-Mobile.
The mid-range Nokia 5 has good battery life and a decent camera as well as a fingerprint sensor and a micro USB charging port. It’s a decent budget choice. The Nokia 3 is on the low-end of Nokia’s Android phones, and more resembles a feature phone than a full-fledged smartphone; it’s best for those who need to make calls and use a few apps, rather than users who like to play mobile games or are otherwise glued to their device all day.
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