In today’s livestreamed event that was supposed to take place as part of the canceled Mobile World Congress show in Barcelona, HMD Global was finally able to unveil its latest Nokia-branded mobile phones. The Nokia 8.3 5G is the world’s first global 5G phone, which means it supports bands in every country in which 5G is currently deployed — even the Samsung Galaxy S2o Ultra can’t boast global roaming capabilities. At the same time, the Nokia 5.3, 1.3, and a new roaming data plan from HMD also made their debut.
Powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G mobile platform, the Nokia 8.3 5G promised a future-proofed experience as it supports more 5G bands across the entire range (NSA/SA/DSS) than any handset currently on the market. It features a 6.8-inch FHD+ (2400x1080p) display with a hole-punch cutout for the 24MP selfie camera, but it’s a shame to see the Nokia logo plastered on the chin.
Nokia 8.3 5G
On the rear, there are four cameras including a 64MP main sensor with Zeiss optics complemented by a 12MP ultra-wide lens, plus 2MP depth and macro sensors. The fingerprint scanner lies within the power button on the side, while a USB-C port, 3.5mm headphone jack, and dedicated Google Assistant button are all onboard. Battery capacity is rated at 4,500mAh, and NFC is also included for mobile payments.
Nokia 5.3
Next up, the Nokia 5.3 is a more mid-range affair powered by the Snapdragon 665. Its quad-cam system consists of a 13MP main sensor, a 5MP ultra-wide lens, plus the same 2MP depth sensor and macro lens. The 8MP front camera sits within a waterdrop notch on the 6.55-inch 720p display. Its 4,000mAh battery should be plenty, and it’s also got a USB-C port, headphone jack, rear-mounted fingerprint scanner, and Assistant button. As with all recent Nokia phones, both the 8.3 5G and 5.3 ship with Android 10 and will get a guaranteed two years of OS updates plus an extra year of security patches on top.
Nokia 1.3
HMD’s budget phones have been very popular, and the Nokia 1.3 is sure to continue that success. It’s the first phone to ship with Google’s new Camera Go app, a lighter version of the photo-taking app usually found on Android phones. The Android 10 Go device uses a Snapdragon 215 chip and comes with 1GB of RAM and 16GB of storage. There are only two cameras — an 8MP shooter on the back and a 5MP selfie cam — and the battery is 3,000mAh. Rounding out today’s other announcements were the Nokia 5310 feature phone and the HMD Connext roaming data plan that offers 1GB of data across 180 different countries for just €9.95.
The Nokia 8.3 5G starts at just €599 for the 6/64GB model, with an 8/128GB variant also available for €649 — it’ll go on sale in the summer. Both available from April, the Nokia 5.3 will start at €189 for a 3/64GB model while the Nokia 1.3 will cost just €95. When the next James Bond film, No Time To Die, finally comes out, you’ll see Daniel Craig running about with a Nokia 8.3 5G — isn’t that exciting.
