Nokia 6: Android-powered flagship hits US from July for $229
Nokia 6
The Android-powered Nokia 6 will be available exclusively on Amazon in the US from July for $229.
The Nokia 6 will be the first Nokia-branded smartphone sold in the US by HMD Global since the Finnish firm, which is led by former Nokia execs, acquired a global license to sell Nokia-branded smartphones.
Smartphones
HMD Global unveiled the Nokia 3, Nokia 5 and Nokia 6 at Mobile World Congress in February and later confirmed a US release for the second quarter. Now the company has released a few more specifics about its US launch.
The 5.5-inch, full HD display Nokia 6 is for now the only handset that will be available in the US. The aluminum-body handset has 3GB RAM, 32GB storage rising to a maximum of 128GB via MicroSD, and runs on Qualcomm's mid-range Snapdragon 430 chipset. It features a 16 megapixel main camera and 8 megapixel front-facing camera and has a 3000 mAh battery.
The new Nokia smartphone lineup comes with 'pure' Android Nougat, meaning no bloatware or custom skins. HMD Global has committed to Google's monthly security updates and is planning on updating its phones to Android O after its release later this year.
The Nokia 6 is a 4G device, however it will only work on some US mobile networks. T-Mobile fully supports 4G on the handset, while AT&T offers partial support, since the device doesn't support the 29 and 30 bands. The device isn't supported at all on Sprint and Verizon.
The Nokia 6 will be available in matte black and silver on Amazon, beginning July for $229. HMD Global says it will be available in blue and copper later this summer.
In June, HMD Global announced the Nokia 3, Nokia 5, and Nokia 6 would be sold in India from July. The larger Nokia 5 and Nokia 6 will be available exclusively on Amazon India, while the Nokia 3 is selling through retailers. The handsets are reportedly launching with "made in India" branding and HMD Global has been selling the Nokia 6 in China since January.
HMD Global and Foxconn subsidiary FIH Mobile bought Microsoft's feature phone business last year for $350m, including some manufacturing facilities. That followed Microsoft's decision to close the mobile devices business it acquired from Nokia in 2014. At the same time, Nokia Technologies granted HMD Global a 10-year license to make Nokia-branded phones and tablets.