The latest Nokia smartphone to go global is here. HMD Global is pushing the Nokia 8.1 as a mix of value for money and flagship imaging. The Android One powered handset has a number of key features including Zeiss optics, an HDR10 screen and long battery life.
I’ve spent a week with a review device, and while this isn’t a full discussion, there are a few key points about the Nokia 8.1 I want to talk before the handset goes on sale in the UK next week.
Nokia 8.1 (image: Ewan Spence)Ewan Spence
You Can Easily Spot A Nokia
The Nokia 8.1 is clearly a ‘Nokia’ device. Given that the vast majority of smartphones follow the same pattern of a large glass screen, featuring a notch, and a glass back, both mounted on a central chassis; this characteristic should not be ignored. HMD Global is building up a brand as much as it is building up sales. Brands need identity and the Nokia 8.1 confirms that the visual identity is in place.
I’m still not sold on the numbering scheme being used. The lineage of the Nokia 8.1 shows that this handset is the global variant of the Chinese Nokia X7. If you assume that the Nokia 1 (running Android Go) is the lowest model, and the presumptively named Nokia 9 (assumed to be launching next month at MWC 2019 with a penta-lens rear camera) is the highest model, then you have a model which is seen as a ‘7’ in some regions and an ‘8’ in others.
The core specifications, feature set, and price all suggest that this is a ‘7’ handset, and I was expecting it to be called the Nokia 7.1 Plus, complementing the Nokia 7.1 which was launched in early November 2018 – the key difference being the larger screen on this model. Assuming that we do see the Nokia 9 in February, then HMD Global will have all the numbers ‘refreshed’ within a twelve month window (the Nokia 8.1 following on from the Nokia 8 Sirocco announced at MWC 2018).
The Camera Is Still The Star
Another part of the identity of Nokia has been the camera. With a dual Zeiss lens setup at the rear paired with a dual color temperature double LED flash, the Nokia 8.1 has impressive optical hardware, especially at this price point.
Perth Tech Blog 