Nokia announces 3 Android phones w/ Google Assistant, promise of stock OS, fast updates

Late last year, Finnish brand HMD Global signed a licensing deal to release Android devices that carry the Nokia brand. At MWC today, the devices were launched to a global audience along with a throwback of the Nokia 3310 from the early 2000s.

The flagship device is the 5.5-inch 1080p Nokia 6. It has been available in China since January and is now coming to the rest of the world. Powered by a Snapdragon 430 processor with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage, it runs stock Android 7.1.1 Nougat with the promise of monthly security patches and regular updates. Additionally, it will have the Google Assistant.

Design-wise, it is machined from aluminum and features a unibody construction. All of today’s devices have the same general design and will be manufactured by Foxconn. It costs €229 ($241.86) and — like the rest of the line — will be available in Q2 of this year.

Meanwhile the 5.2-inch 720p Nokia 5 has the same processor, but only 2GB of RAM and 16GB of storage with a microSD card slot. Its camera drop downs to 13-megapixels from 16, resulting in a slightly cheaper device at €189 ($199.61). The 5 is also made of aluminum with antennas at the top/bottom of the device and will be available in four colors. Compared to the Nokia 6 it has curved edges making it easier to hold.

At €139 ($146.80), the Nokia 3 has an aluminum frame but polycarbonate rear. Other specs include a 5-inch 720p display, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of storage with expansion, and a generic quad-core processor. Interestingly, this device features printed navigation and only runs Android 7.0. There is a wide-angle 8-megapixel front and rear camera with autofocus.

Moving away from smartphones is the Nokia 3310, a feature phone from 2000 known for its durability. The 2017 remake runs Series 30+ and has a 2.4-inch QVGA color screen, 2-megapixel camera, and microSD slot. For customization, the phone comes in yellow, red, gray, and dark blue. It will be available for €49 ($51.75).

Other announcements today see health gadget and wearable maker Withings transitioning their products to Nokia branding by this summer.