HMD launches new smartphone range, promising affordability and easy repair
The Nokia brand is leaving the mobile phone industry, and in its place, HMD surfaces as a new contender. The company is charting a fresh course by launching devices in the budget segment.
24 April 2024 17:36
The Finnish outfit HMD, which from 2016 to 2023 manufactured mobile phones and smartphones under the Nokia badge, declared at the beginning of 2024 that it would preserve the legendary brand for feature phones while its smartphones would, from now on, sport the HMD insignia.
As anticipated, HMD unveiled its first trio of proprietary smartphones.
What do we know about HMD Pulse?
During its initial smartphone showcase, HMD revealed pricing for the European market as follows:
- HMD Pulse is tagged at 139 euros (roughly £120),
- HMD Pulse+ is priced at 159 euros (approximately £137),
- HMD Pulse Pro comes in at 179 euros (about £154).
In Poland, the HMD Pulse+ and Pulse Pro models are set to hit the shelves, with sales kicking off in May.
Unfortunately, the specs fail to dazzle
The core of all three devices is the Unisoc T606, a 12-nanometer chipset leveraging older Cortex-A75 and A55 cores. Launched in 2021, this silicon was destined from its inception for more affordable gadgets.
Features of the new HMD smartphones include:
- an LCD screen measuring 6.65 inches diagonally with a resolution of 1612 x 720 pixels (265 ppi), a refresh rate of 90 Hz, and a peak brightness of 600 nits,
- Unisoc T606 processor,
- RAM options up to 4 GB (Pulse), 6 GB (Pulse+), and 8 GB (Pulse Pro),
- 128 GB of expandable storage,
- primary camera rated at 13 MP (Pulse) or 50 MP (Pulse+ and Pulse Pro),
- 2-megapixel depth sensor,
- selfie camera of 8 MP (Pulse and Pulse+) or 50 MP (Pulse Pro),
- 4G connectivity, Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5.0, and NFC,
- fingerprint scanner integrated into the power button,
- battery sporting a 5000 mAh capacity with 20 W charging support,
- IP52 waterproofing certification,
- Android 14 OS.
A distinctive perk of the HMD Pulse Pro model is its superior selfie shooter that recognizes gestures and can capture slow-motion clips.
HMD promises that these new devices will receive two significant Android OS upgrades and consistently receive security patches for the next three years.
Easy repairability is touted as a major benefit
HMD is advancing its partnership with iFixit, which began in Nokia's days. Through the iFixit online shop, customers can buy spare parts such as screens, batteries, rear panels, or charging ports, with the replacement process designed to be exceptionally user-friendly.
In addition, the firm states that swapping out the battery in these models can be achieved independently within about 5 minutes using basic tools.
