HMD Global, the Finnish manufacturer that carries the exclusive rights to sell devices under the iconic Nokia brand, could be looking at reviving the Nokia N-series smartphones, with rumors claiming that the company will be unveiling the devices at the upcoming Mobile World Congress 2017.
However, HMD Global's plans of announcing smartphones at MWC 2017 has been reiterated in a new report, with the highlight being the return of one of the most famous feature phones in the history of the telecommunications industry.
Nokia 3310 To Make A Comeback
According to an exclusive report by prolific leaker Evan Blass on VentureBeat, Nokia will be revealing four mobile phones at MWC 2017.
Among the four devices, the one that will likely draw the most interest from mobile phone enthusiasts is a modern version of the Nokia 3310.
The homage to the Nokia 3310, which was originally released in 2000 as the successor to the also popular Nokia 3210, has been the subject of amusing stories and memes due to its massive battery life and its near indestructibility. The modern version of the device will not be converted into a smartphone and will remain as a feature phone, with a price tag of €59.
The price is equivalent to around $63, which should be a low enough cost for former users of the Nokia 3310 who would like to once again hold the device in their hands for nostalgia, and to have it function as a back-up mobile phone.
There is no word yet on what features the modern Nokia 3310 will offer users and when it will arrive in North America, but hopefully it will retain most of the functionality and design elements that allowed it to sell 100 million units over its lifetime. The details surrounding the new Nokia 3310 will be unveiled on Feb. 26 at HMD Global's presentation at MWC 2017.
Other Nokia Phones At MWC 2017
The other three smartphones that HMD Global will be unveiling at MWC 2017 are the 5.5-inch Nokia 6, which has been massively successful in China as the device is sold out within minutes each time stock is put up for sale, the Nokia 5, and the Nokia 3.
The Nokia 5 and Nokia 3 feature less powerful specifications compared to the Nokia 6 to hit lower price points. The Nokia 5, possibly the Nokia Heart spotted in benchmarks last month, will pack the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 chipset of the Nokia 6, but with a 5.2-inch display, halved RAM to 2 GB and reduced internal storage to 16 GB from 64 GB for the Nokia 6. It is also said that the Nokia 5 will come with a 13 MP rear-facing camera and and an 8 MP front-facing camera.
The Nokia 5 is said to cost €199, or about $211, compared to the €249, or about $264, price tag of the Nokia 6. The Nokia 3, meanwhile, will cost only €149, or about $158, but the specs and features of the entry-level smartphone are still unknown.
The Nokia 5 and Nokia 3, like the Nokia 6, will be powered by Android 7.0 Nougat right out of the box. Whether the three devices will be released in North America is still unknown, though hopefully such details will be revealed at MWC 2017.
