HMD Global officially brought back Nokia smartphones towards the end of 2016 with the launch of the Nokia 6 in China. This was the device that the company used to test the waters in China before making it available to users in other countries.
The Nokia 6 was not the only Nokia device we saw from HMD, we also got to see the Nokia 3 and Nokia 5 in early 2017. These devices were made available to the global audience from day one and they really helped the company’s overall sales. The Nokia 5 and 6 are mid range devices from the company while the Nokia 3 is a budget friendly one (not entry level).
We also got to see the flagship Nokia 8 and the entry level Nokia 2 smartphones towards the end of 2018. These helped with the sales and by the end of the year, over 8.45 million Nokia units were sold according to Counterpoint Research. This is a low number compared to other manufacturers such as Samsung and Apple but I think it is a good number for a brand re-entering the smartphone space.
Nokia sales in 2017
In 2018, I expect HMD to sell even more units if it keeps up the strategy it employed in 2017. The company has already released its first smartphone of the year, the Nokia 6 (2018) that is here to replace the original Nokia 6. Add the entry level Nokia 2 to the mix, HMD has a good chance getting more fans this year.
Feature Phones are Still Selling
Even though we are talking about smartphones, it is important to mention that HMD also controls Nokia feature phones on the market. In Q3 of 2017, it reportedly moved 13.5 million units which is just mind-blowing. Feature phones may not be exciting for everyone but there are people who are yet to afford smartphones and for HMD, it is a good way to make money.
Also Read: The Nokia 6 Review