With more than 70 million phones sold in 2017, Nokia[1] Mobile’s comeback has been pretty solid, even if the numbers are led by the sales of its feature phones. Compared to other “legacy” brands like HTC[2] and Sony[3], Nokia is in the lead, outselling them globally in Q4 2017, although it’s still got to catch up to the newer market leaders, such as Xiaomi[4], Samsung[5], and Apple[6]. The company spent much of last year re-establishing relationships with distributors, establishing production channels, and building a brand identity that revolves around pure Android[7], timely updates, and attention to design and detail.
The company faced a bucket-load of criticism as well, primarily revolving around underpowered internals and below average cameras in its budget smartphones. This week, HMD Global[8], the company which holds the Nokia brand, launched three new smartphones in the Indian market, kicking off its 2018 slate. At the launch event, Gadgets 360 spoke to Pranav Shroff, Global Portfolio Director, HMD Global about how it's going to build on its gains from last year, and how the new slate hopes to answer criticisms about its 2017 offerings.
Talking about Nokia’s latest flagship, Shroff said that the Nokia 8 Sirocco[9] is a special edition, an experiment inspired by the Sirocco design of old. The Sirocco moniker was first seen in 2005’s Nokia 8800 Sirocco Edition which had a display covered with sapphire glass, glossy steel panels and shipped with a case made out of leather.
“It [Nokia 8 Sirocco] is our statement on how we can push the boundaries on craftsmanship," he said. “We wanted to have a Nokia offering for consumers who...