Nokia firm tests Cebu market with 4 new Android phones in May

FOUR new models of Android-powered Nokia phones are expected to enter the Cebu market next month.

HMD Global, the company behind Nokia phones, announced that the Nokia 7 Plus, Nokia 1, the New Nokia 6, and Nokia 8110 4G are expected to be available in Cebu by middle of May.

Banking on durability and reliability, which Nokia phones have been known for even before smartphones, the company sees the need to aggressively pursue their market in Cebu.

“As a key market, we are committed to building and strengthening our presence in Cebu. We are optimistic that with the new generation of Nokia Android smartphones and our classic but highly upgraded feature phone, the Cebuanos will get the best mobile experience across all price points,” said Shannon Mead, HMD Global Philippines country manager during their Cebu launch last Monday.

He said Cebu is their biggest market outside of the greater Manila area.

With their four new phones, Mead said they hope to find out which one would be well-received in Cebu.

“Our objectives in 2018 is to expand our portfolio and deepen our presence in our markets. The second highest populace in our Facebook site are fromCebu. We need to go deeper in these markets and deeper out into provincial areas,” Mead added.

Features

The Nokia 7 Plus is dubbed as the “flagship phone without the flagship price.” At P21,990, it is currently Nokia’s most expensive device and will start sales all over the country this Friday, April 27.

Its dual rear camera with Zeiss optics has a 12-megapixel primary camera which has a large pixel size and wide aperture for scenic photography; and a secondary 13-MP telephoto lens for 2X optical zoom.

At the same time, it has a 16-MP front camera also with Zeiss optics and high-quality lowlight capability.

The flagship phone features a Dual-Sight technology which allows both the rear and front cameras to captures images and videos simultaneously. It is also referred to as the #Bothie feature.

“Why selfie when you can do bothie,” Mead said as he demonstrated how to use the feature during the launch.

He added that the feature is popular among Vloggers or those who want to broadcast content while capturing both themselves and what they’re doing.

Nokia has also brought back their Pro Camera mode which provides users an intuitive manual conrol over camera settings like ISO, exposure, manual focus, and shutter speed among others.

It is backed by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 Mobile Platform and is equipped with a 3800-mAh batter life that can last up to two days. It also features a 6-inch display.

The Nokia 1, on the other hand, is designed as a budget friendly smartphone with 4G capability.

At a price of P4,290, the device already runs on an Android Oreo software with its go edition which is designed for lower end devices with a lower memory capacity.

It will also feature Xpress-on covers in a range of colors that are exchangeable.

Newer version

HMD Global also launched a new version of their Nokia 6 which, Mead said, was the most popular model in Cebu.

For the first time, the group unveiled the selling price of the New Nokia 6 during the Cebu launch at P15,990. It will be available starting May 14.

It is said to be over 60 percent faster than its predecessor and will also feature Dual-Sight, Zeiss optics, USB-C fast-charging, a more compact screen-to-body ratio, and up-to-date Android Oreo software.

The company also announced the new Nokia 8110 4G which still has no price tag and is also expected to arrive in Cebu by May.

Together with their Cebu Launch, HMD Global also opened is Nokia mobile NewSeum in SM City Cebu.

It is an interactive exhibit which displays old to new Nokia phones over the years. It will run until April 30.