HMD Global has big plans for the U.S. market, and at CES 2022 it has revealed a new range of devices that cost less than $250, all coming out over the next months. Buoyed by LG and ZTE both leaving the U.S., it has struck lucrative deals with T-Mobile, Tracfone, Verizon, and other carriers to supply Nokia phones on pre-paid contracts, including low-cost feature phones.
To help achieve its ambitious targets in the U.S. for the coming year — it’s targeting number one in feature phones, and number three in pre-paid smartphones — it has announced five new U.S. exclusive phones that will arrive during the first six months of the year. Top of the list is an affordable 5G phone, followed by three 4G phones, and a new feature phone with Kai OS software onboard.
Nokia G400
The Nokia G400 is a $239 5G smartphone with a massive 6.6-inch touchscreen on the front, making it a serious handful. The good news is the screen has a high 120Hz refresh rate and a 5,000mAh battery, meaning it will be easy on the eye and shouldn’t need to visit the charger every day. The phone has 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage space. HMD Global says the G400 will be available through T-Mobile, Tracfone, Boost Mobile, and other pre-paid carriers when it’s released between April and June 2022.
Nokia G100
The top-spec 4G phone in HMD Global’s new lineup, the G100 has a 6.5-inch screen and a 5,000mAh battery, plus a fingerprint sensor on the side inside the power key. It will cost just $149 and be sold through Tracfone and Boost Mobile and should be released between April and June.
Nokia C200
HMD Global’s mid-level new 4G phone is the C200, which has a 6.1-inch screen and a 4,000mAh battery. It’ll be available between April and June for $119.
Nokia C100
The cheapest smartphone in the new range is the C100, at $99. For this, you get a 5.45-inch screen, a 3,000mAh battery, and an 8-megapixel camera. It will be released between January and March.
Nokia 2760 Flip
Pitched at older people, the Nokia 2760 Flip has large keys and an easy-to-use navigation button, an emergency button, and both inner and outer screens. The phone uses the Kai OS operating system and includes Google tools like Gmail and Google Maps. It’s not a smartphone, but it aims to bridge the gap between a feature phone and a smartphone. The Nokia 2760 Flip is coming before March and will cost $79 with the Tracfone network.
Expect more details on the specification, photos of the individual models, and exact release dates to be announced over the coming months.