Nokia 6, the First Nokia-branded Android Smartphone Finally Launched

Well, it isn't Nokia's first attempt at an Android-based smartphone, remember, Nokia's X-series! But its Nokia's first Android smartphone after its much-talked about rebirth, thanks to HMD Global. HMD Global, without much fanfare, has announced its first Android smartphone, the Nokia 6, which was expected to be launched at MWC this year.

Announced through just a release on its website, Nokia 6 is an Android Nougat based smartphone powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 SoC along with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. It has a 5.5-inch full-HD display which is wrapped up in 2.5D Gorilla Glass.

The Nokia 6 is a unibody smartphone built using 6000 series aluminium and features a home button with an embedded fingerprint scanner. It packs a f/2.0 16-megapixel primary camera with PDAF and a dual-tone flash, as well as an 8-megapixel f/2.0 secondary camera. The smartphone also includes Dolby Atmos speakers and ‘dual amplifiers' for a louder sound.

The catch here is that HMD Global is launching this smartphone as a China-exclusive through JD.com  at 1699 CNY (roughly Rs. 16,750) "in early 2017", with no plans for launch to the rest of the world.

Source: Nokia

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Nokia D1C Android Smartphone Spotted on GeekBench, Reveals Specifications

Most of us are eagerly awaiting - Nokia's upcoming return to the smartphone market. In August, a report cited a Nokia executive to claim the company would launch four Nokia-based Android devices in the fourth quarter of 2016. Since then, a number of contradictory rumours have surfaced regarding the name and features of the upcoming devices.

In late August, two Nokia-branded Android devices - Nokia 5320 and Nokia 1490 - were spotted on GeekBench. Now, a new Nokia device, named D1C, has made its way to the benchmark site.

While the Nokia 5320 is touted to be a high-end device with Qualcomm's Snapdragon 820 powering it, the D1C appears to be in the mid-range level. The website mentions a Qualcomm octa-core processor powering the handset clocked at 1.4GHz with Adreno 505 GPU and 3GB of RAM. The device is likely to run Android 7.0 Nougat according to the listing.

GeekBench gave the D1C a score of 656 single-core performance and 3120 in multi-score performance which is decent for a mid-range device. Being a benchmark page, the information on the device is still limited.

Nokia's comeback has been highly anticipated since May when the Finnish company granted HMD Global the exclusive license to create Nokia-branded Android mobile phones and tablets for the next 10 years.

Nokia has already launched an Android-powered device with the N1 tablet, which was received positively by the public, as well as the Z Launcher for Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. However, Nokia will be aiming to make a bigger splash with its upcoming smartphones.

With the D1C, Nokia is now expected to launch at least three smartphones before the year ends with no information yet on when the Finnish company is likely to hold the launch event.

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Microsoft launches first dual-SIM Lumia 630 for Rs.11,500

Raising the stakes in the fiercely competitive affordable smartphone market in India, Microsoft launched its first dual-SIM Lumia smartphone for Rs.11,500.

The new phone from Microsoft Devices, which operates the handset business acquired from Nokia last month for over USD 7.2 billion, will compete with dual-SIM models such as Moto G, HTC Desire and Samsung Duos.

Taking forward the "cloud first, mobile first" strategy outlined by India-born Microsoft chief Satya Nadella, Lumia 630 will sport features like Microsoft's Office and OneDrive, a cloud storage facility through which documents, photos and music can be accessed via the Internet.

"Lumia is our principal smartphone strategy. Lumia phones will come with Nokia's promise of quality packed with Microsoft's services like OneDrive, Office 365 and others.

Lumia 630 opens a new avenue for affordable smartphones for us," P Balaji, Managing Director of Nokia India, a subsidiary of Microsoft Mobiles Oy, told PTI.

The single-SIM variant will be available for Rs.10,500.

Citing analysts, he said about 80 per cent of the smartphones sold under Rs.12,000 in India are dual SIM.

In April, Devices Group EVP Stephen Elop had explained that dual-SIM capability is "critically important" in emerging markets like India and China and noted that in 2016, people will buy more than 100 million dual-SIM smartphones.

Currently, the cheapest model in the Lumia range is the 520, which retails for about Rs.8,400.

Asked if more affordable devices would be brought out under the Lumia range, Balaji said the firm would "continue to test newer price points."

Powered by the latest Windows Phone 8.1 operating system, the Lumia 630 features a 4.5-inch display and 5 megapixel auto-focus camera. It has built-in low power sensors for health apps such as pedometers.

The Moto G, HTC Desire and Samsung Galaxy Duos are all priced under Rs.12,000 and have done well in the affordable smartphone market in India.

According to research firm IDC, affordability is driving smartphone adoption in the country, where domestic firms Micromax and Karbonn have a strong presence.

Last year, the market grew three-fold to 44 million devices from 16.2 million units in 2012.

The company launched a treasure tag, costing Rs.2,099, which allows users to track things like keys and bags.

Smaller than a matchbox, the device alerts smartphone users when they go beyond 10 metres of the tagged item. It will be available by end of this month.

The firm also introduced an NFC-enabled Bluetooth mini speaker for Rs.5,499, to be available by mid-June.