IN THE early 2000s, Nokia was among the top cellphone brands in the world known for its reliability and durability.
However, when smartphones entered the market, the brand somehow got lost in the competition.
HMD Global, home of the Nokia phones, is keen on relaunching the brand as it introduces new smartphones using the Android operating system and some flagship phones.
"HMD Global is proud to continue the story of Nokia mobile through the qualities that we first loved such as durability and innovation, designed to suit every need and style," Shannon Mead, HMD Global Philippines country manager, said in a statement.
During a roundtable discussion with the members of the media on April 26, 2018 at the Seda Abreeza Hotel, Mead said in a bid to return as one of the industry's leading brands, the company has employed a strategy tapping into the potentials of the smartphones, feature phones, and the brand.
For the smartphones, the company promises to launch phones that are competitive in the market.
For instance, this year they launched the Nokia 7 Plus (P21,990), which features the latest generation Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 Mobile Platform, a 4GB RAM, 6" display, rear dual camera with Zeiss Optics, 16MP front camera with Zeiss optics, and an up-to-date Android One.
The company has also released its Nokia 1, which is affordably priced at P4,290 making it a 4G smartphone for every "Juan". Despite being a budget-friendly smarphone, Nokia 1 comes with Android Oreo (Go edition) and full access to the Google Play store. It also has a key feature that Nokia fans loved before, the feature where you are able to change the cover of your phone, now dubbed as X-press-on covers.
For the feature phones, Mead said they want their users to reconnect with the brand. Recently, they released the updated version of the beloved 3310. Mead said the relaunch of the phone saw great success.
Banking on that success, this year they are reintroding the Nokia 8110, also known as the banana phone, as the Nokia 8110 4G (3,990). The updated phone is now capable of connecting to WiFi and can even be used as a portable WiFi hotspot.
"We are optimistic that with the new generation of Nokia Android smartphones and our classic but highly upgraded feature phone,...will get the best mobile experience across all price points," Mead said.
At present, Mead said they have seven smart phones and seven feature phones in the market.
As for the brand, Mead said they want to keep the promise that Nokia has for its customers, which is a phone that is reliable, durable, and innovative.
"For us it is about reconnecting the people with the brand, especially those who have a connection to it," Mead said.
At present, he said the company is stepping up its retail presence around the country especially in its regional sites in a bid to among the top mobile phone players in the world.
"Our global ambition is to be in the top three mobile phone players within three to five years," Mead said.