Launched globally not so long ago, the Nokia 2.3 is finally available in retail stores in Kenya. The phone was launched in the country early today and is available at a recommended price of Ksh 12,300.
This is the latest affordable smartphone from the company but is not the cheapest one yet. The phone takes over from the Nokia 2.2 that we saw in the country earlier this year. It offers good value proposition but faces tough competition as this market segment is flooded with some decent phones from Infinix, Tecno and the rest. HMD actually says the Ksh 7,500 to Ksh 15,000 segment is a blood bath and it acknowledges that it will not be an easy one to navigate.
Like with most other HMD devices, the company is promising at least two years of software updates and three years of guaranteed monthly security updates. This is one of the selling points HMD Global has been using to stand out from other manufacturers on the market. It is good value but I don’t meet many people saying they would buy smartphones specifically because of this so it may not work so well or maybe I just do not meet many people who do that. The Nokia 2.3 comes with Android 9 Pie out of the box but is scheduled to get Android 10 down the road.
Launching the Nokia 2.3 in Kenya this fast is quite good as we rarely see most other manufacturers do that. I believe HMD Global is trying to capitalize on the festive season and it may work for them. A good number of people may be looking for new smartphones to buy during this season and HMD wants the Nokia 2.3 to be one of them.
The Nokia 2.3 looks like a really good device on paper and I hope it sells well. HMD Global did not push the Nokia 2.2 as aggressively as I had hoped and even though you could see the phone being advertised, it wasn’t as aggressive as other brands.
Commenting during the launch of the phone, Gopher Ogembo, Senior Business Manager East Africa, HMD Global, said, “Consumers in Kenya have really appreciated the Nokia 2 family of products. The Nokia 2.3 is a step forward in our promise of offering you an experience that stays fresh longer – giving consumers access to two years of OS upgrades and three years of monthly security updates even in the affordable price tier. On top, it offers industry leading AI for this segment, large screen and our signature promise of two-day battery life – making it the ideal pick for those who rely on their smartphone as their primary screen.”
Below are some of the key specifications of the Nokia 2.3.
Display: 6.2-inch IPS LCD display with 720 x 1520 pixels resolution
Processor: MediaTek Helio A22
GPU: PowerVR GE8320
RAM: 2 GB
Storage: 32GB internal storage, expandable via microSD card up to 400GB
Cameras: Dual: 13MP + 2MP rear cameras, 5 MP front-facing camera
SIM: dual SIM
Battery: 4000mAh battery
Android: Android 9 Pie
Also Read: You Can Now Pre-Order the Huawei Y9s in Kenya
