Nokia launches new handset, hopes to rival Apple

Nokia has launched their brand new handset, hoping to put the brand in competition with the likes of Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) and Samsung (KRX:005930).

The new smartphone features an aluminium body, spatial audio, high-resolution 5.3-inch screen and Carl Zeiss cameras.

The Nokia 8 is the first smartphone from HMD Global, the company that bought the 10-year licensing deal to manufacture Nokia branded phones.

A new feature for the phones is the”both-ie”, marking the first smartphone to simultaneously live stream a selfie while also using its main camera.

Juho Sarvikas, HMD chief product officer, said: “We know that fans are creating and sharing live content more than ever before, with millions of photos and videos shared every minute on social media,”

“People are inspired by the content they consume and are looking for new ways to create their own.”

Ben Wood, chief of research at CCS Insight, said: “The Nokia 8 has some innovative features including the dual-sight function on the camera and the 360-degree audio recording but it’s not yet clear whether these are game-changing features that will lure consumers away from established rivals such as Apple and Samsung.”

“The Nokia 8 is an extremely important product for HMD Global: its first attempt to move into the more lucrative, higher-tier smartphone segment, a notoriously challenging part of the market dominated by Apple and Samsung.

“The company will be hoping that the widely recognised Nokia brand will help it stand out from rivals such as HTC, Huawei, LG and Sony (NYSE:SNE), which are also trying to compete with Apple and Samsung.”

Whilst Nokia dominated the mobile phone market in the late 90s, it trailed behind as the smartphone era came to play where Apple and Samsung came to dominate.

Today, former Nokia executives have formed HMD Global, a new company that bought their former employer’s phone business from Microsoft. They hope to bring the Nokia back to its former glory.