Earlier this month, mobile phones returned to Nokia's website, along with the promise of new smartphones running Android coming next year. Nokia sold its phone hardware business to Microsoft in 2014, but after the US tech giant restructured its mobile division, it sold the feature phone business to Foxconn, which is now working with Finnish startup HMD Global to launch new devices using the Nokia brand under a ten-year licensing agreement.
Today, HMD unveiled the first Nokia-branded handsets since that agreement came into effect - but if you were hoping to see a new Android device right now, you'll be disappointed.
HMD said that the Nokia 150 and 150 Dual SIM feature "a familiar user interface", but the OS on these ultra-low-end feature phones is Nokia's Series 30+, rather than Android. The new handsets follow on from similar Nokia-branded devices launched by Microsoft over the last couple of years, including the 105, 216 and 230.
The new Nokia 150 and its dual-SIM sibling have a 2.4-inch display with QVGA (320x240px) resolution, as well as a T9 alphanumeric keypad. You'll also find a VGA rear camera with LED flash, along with an integrated LED torchlight feature.
Both variants include Bluetooth 3.0, and come pre-loaded with Snake Xenzia, and a 'try and buy' version of Gameloft's Nitro Racing. In addition to FM radio, the new phones come with MP3 player software - and with microSD card support, owners will be able to listen to plenty of tunes on the go.
The new handsets promise remarkable battery life too, each offering up to 22 hours of talk time; the single-SIM model will deliver up to 31 days of standby time, while the dual-SIM variant should last up to 25 days.
HMD says that the 150 and 150 Dual SIM "combine beautiful craftsmanship with hallmark Nokia durability... featuring hard-wearing polycarbonate shells and scratch-resistant color". The two devices will be offered in black and white, and will be priced at $26 before local taxes and subsidies. However, they won't actually go on sale until the first quarter of 2017.
Source: HMD Global (PRNewswire) / Nokia.com
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