HMD Global has now come out and confirmed that it is working on a more affordable 5G Nokia phone. While the upcoming 5G device will not be a cheap affair, HMD will price it as a “value” flagship phone for when it launches next year.
The news comes directly from HMD Global Chief Product Officer Juho Sarvikas who told Digital Trends that a 5G-enabled Nokia phone will be unveiled to the world in 2020. Sarvikas said the Nokia 5G phone will not be as costly as current 5G phones in the market and further disclosed that the price of the Nokia 5G phone will be “roughly half of what exists today”.
Sarvikas said “We see a particular opportunity for us in bringing 5G to a more affordable segment as we enter the market. I would say affordable in relation to what’s available today. I would love to see us at half of the price where you have 5G today”.
We believe that the HMD chief is pointing at the Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ 5G and LG V50 ThinQ 5G which are available for around $1,300 (approx. Rs 93,000) and $1,000 (approx. Rs 72,000) mark respectively. If that is the case, the Nokia 5G phone could hit the market for around $500 – $650 which roughly translates to Rs 36,000 – Rs 46,500.
Besides these two, OnePlus also has a 5G phone of its own – the OnePlus 7 Pro 5G while Motorola offers a 5G Moto Mod that is compatible with the Moto Z3 and Moto Z4. Both options will set users back by up to $900 (approx. Rs 65,000) which means a Nokia 5G phone for under Rs 46,500 could be a game-changer.
Sarvikas says the company is working closely with silicon vendors including Qualcomm and carries in the US. Prior to this, Nokia was also reportedly working on a Nokia 9 PureView successor enabled with 5G and Snapdragon 855 for launch in Q4 2019.
Nokia at IFA 2019
While a 5G Nokia phone is still several months away, HMD is also preparing to launch new smartphones next month as has now announced its presence at the IFA 2019 event in Berlin. The company has tweeted a 15-second teaser through its official Twitter account.
Brand new members of our Nokia mobile family coming soon on stage in Berlin. Only 15 days to go! #IFA19 #NokiamobileLive pic.twitter.com/fJ1YtBrQr2
— Nokia Mobile (@NokiaMobile) August 21, 2019
The tweet read that brand new members of the Nokia mobile family will be announced in Berlin on September 5. Of the phones to launch next month, there will be a Nokia 5.2, Nokia 6.2, Nokia 7.2 and Nokia 2720 4G.