HMD, the company behind Nokia handsets, is set to produce HMD-branded smartphones, according to the company’s Chairman and CEO, Jean-Francois Baril. In a post on LinkedIn, Baril announced that HMD is establishing an original HMD brand, which will feature a new portfolio of mobile devices. He also mentioned continued collaboration with Nokia and exciting new partners. This move signifies a significant milestone in HMD’s evolution as it aims to enter the market independently and cater to consumer needs.
HMD began manufacturing Nokia phones in 2016, starting with feature phones like the Nokia 150 and 150 Dual SIM. The company later introduced its first Android phone, the Nokia 6, in 2017. However, no specific release date has been mentioned for HMD’s first self-branded phone.
According to Baril, HMD is the fastest-growing 5G smartphone manufacturer compared to the previous year. The company strives to uphold Nokia’s iconic legacy in the smartphone industry. In 2018, HMD acquired the PureView trademark from Microsoft, which was originally used on the Nokia 808 PureView.
Notably, HMD has positioned Nokia’s recent releases in the low-to-mid-range category. This could suggest a similar approach for HMD-branded handsets. An example of this is the Nokia C300, which features a 6.5-inch HD display and a Snapdragon 662 chipset.
HMD Global emerged from Nokia’s phone business, which Nokia sold to Microsoft in 2014 and later repurchased in 2016. The majority owner of HMD Global is Terry Gou, the founder of Foxconn. Therefore, it can be expected that Foxconn will handle the assembly of the new HMD-branded phones.
