HMD Global has been doing wonders with the Nokia brand over the last couple years, and while we've seen a ton of excellent Nokia phones hit the market, North America hasn't been a primary focus with these efforts.
Now, after selling a handful of unlocked phones in the U.S. and Canada, Nokia's bringing two new phones to carriers in these countries for the first time.
Those new phones are the Nokia 3.1 Plus and Nokia 2 V. Here's what they're packing.
Nokia 3.1 Plus
Starting first with the Nokia 3.1 Plus, this is the most powerful of the two handsets. It's outfitted with a 5.99-inch HD+ display with an 18:9 aspect ratio and has a sturdy polycarbonate design.
It's powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 439 processor, has 2GB of RAM, 32GB of expandable storage, dual 13MP + 2MP rear cameras, and ships with Android 9 Pie out of the box. You'll even find a USB-C port for charging, NFC chip for Google Pay, and a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor.
The Nokia 3.1 Plus has a retail price of $159.99 in the U.S. and is available starting today from Cricket Wireless. It's also coming to Canada via Rogers, but right now, Nokia's just saying that it'll be available there "very soon."
Nokia 2 V
Moving over to the Nokia 2 V, this is a phone that'll be sold exclusively on Verizon in the U.S starting January 31. There's currently no word on how much it'll cost, but looking at the specs, we have to imagine it'll be a fair amount less.
The Nokia 2 V comes equipped with a 5.5-inch HD display with an older aspect ratio of 16:9. It's got the Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 processor, 1GB of RAM, and 8GB of storage that can be expanded with a microSD card. You'll also find a single 8MP rear camera, 5MP front camera, and a large 4,000 mAh battery.
Also included here is Android 8.1 Oreo (Go edition), a Micro-USB port for charging, and stereo sound thanks to two external speakers.
This is a big deal
Commenting on this news, HMD Global CEO, Florian Seiche, said:
We are extremely excited and committed to build long-term strategic partnerships with the leading carriers in North America. Our Nokia phone promise is distinct and built on consumer insight –European design and craftsmanship, excellent quality, latest Android and purposeful innovation that enhances your everyday user experience. We want consumers in North America to love and trust their Nokia phones
We've been following Nokia for a while here at AC, but there's no denying that most consumers are a lot more likely to buy a phone from their carrier of choice rather than getting it unlocked through a site like Amazon.
It'll be exciting to see Nokia build up its presence in North America, and as time goes on, to see what another device it brings to this part of the world.
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