HMD Global updates the Nokia 6 for 2018

Here comes the Nokia 6 (2018). HMD Global just announced the new mid-range phone with plans to sell it globally as the year progresses.

Nokia doesn’t make phones anymore, but the brand still lives on within the industry as HMD Global picked up a license for it. So you can still buy phones with the classic Nokia logo stamped on the front and back. HMD Global’s actually done a pretty good job keeping Nokia’s name relevant. Last year a healthy lineup reached select markets, and this year the company expects to do the same. First up for 2018 is an updated Nokia 6, which was one of the more notable entry-level phones we saw.

The phone isn’t quite entry-level anymore, though. While the design hasn’t been altered too much, enough changes have been made to put the Nokia 6 (2018) in the mid-range segment. HMD Global installed a Snapdragon 600 series processor, included better RAM, relocated the fingerprint scanner to the back, and switched over to a USB-C port.

One thing you’ll notice about the design is that HMD Global ditched capacitive buttons below the display. As Google recommends, this phone offers control through on-screen navigation buttons. And that’s also why the fingerprint scanner got moved to the back. Other than that, the Nokia 6 looks the same as it did in 2017. Maybe you’ll pick up on the colored chamfered edges and camera lining.

HMD Global also threw in a second microphone for spatial audio capture and kept the headphone jack.

The Nokia 6 (2018) features a 5.5-inch Full HD (1920×1080) IPS LCD display, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 630 processor, 4GB of RAM, up to 64GB of internal storage, 16MP and 8MP cameras, a 3000mAh battery, and a USB-C port. Although it ships with Android 7.1 Nougat, HMD Global says Android 8.0 Oreo will arrive soon in a software update. It’s been set on getting the entire 2016 lineup updated and the same will go for this year’s group.

It’s impressive to see the Snapdragon 400 series get bypassed for this phone. Usually, that series is used for budget-friendly devices, but HMD Global is raising the bar by packing a Snapdragon 600 series processor meant for efficiency. Owners of the Nokia 6 (2018) will get a power boost, but more important, y they’ll notice better battery life.

Getting the phone first is China, where the new Nokia 6 will be priced at about $231 to start. If its predecessor is any indication of what availability will be like, the Nokia 6 (2018) should reach additional markets like the United States by the middle of the year.