HMD Global, the Finnish company that keeps the rights to use Nokia’s brand on mobile phones, declared on its first smartphone, targeted for Chinese users with a price of $246.
The introduction marks the first new smartphone booming the iconic handset name since 2014 when Nokia Oyj selected to sell its entire handset unit to Microsoft.
The new device, Nokia 6, runs on Google’s Android path and is manufactured by Foxconn. It will be sold exclusively in China through online retailer JD.com, HMD added.
“The decision by HMD to present its first Android smartphone into China is a replication of the desire to meet the real world needs of consumers in different markets around the world…it is a strategically important market,” HMD claimed.
Nokia is the world’s leading cellphone maker but missed the shift to smartphones, and then selected Microsoft’s Windows operating system for its “Lumia” range.
After the 2014 deal, Microsoft continual selling cheaper basic phones under Nokia’s name and Lumia smartphones under its own name, but last year, it mainly abandoned both businesses.
HMD took over the Nokia feature phones business and hit a licensing deal that offered it sole usage of the Nokia brand on all phones and tablets for the next decade.
It will recompense Nokia royalties for the brand and patents, but Nokia has no straight investment in HMD. Nokia Oyj is presently concentrated on telecom network equipment business and technology patents.
HMD CEO Arto Nummela, who was once accountable for Nokia’s sales and product development, in last month that HMD objects to be one of the key competitive players in the smartphone business where it faces strong competition from Apple, Samsung and dozens of other players.
HMD launched some innovative Nokia basic phones last month. It assumed on Sunday it was looking to launch more fresh products in the first half of the year.
HMD Global unveils the first Nokia smartphone
