HMD Global launched the Nokia 6 (2018) in China earlier this month, having released it in a relatively quiet manner with only several promos for the device that some were expecting to make an appearance at the end of CES 2018. While the smartphone has now been made official, that scenario is still possible, as the original Nokia 6 also saw a discreet debut in China before closing the 2017 iteration of the Las Vegas, Nevada-based trade show. A global stage coupled with a general lack of smartphone competitors makes CES an attractive opportunity for HMD that just recently entered the second year of its efforts to revive the Nokia brand following its unsuccessful episode with Microsoft.
The new offering from the Finnish company isn’t meant to compete in the lower mid-range segment of the market like the original Nokia 6 but instead features specs that allow it to directly take on any non-flagship device that’s currently available for purchase. The most notable improvement compared to the Nokia 6 is the Snapdragon 630 that replaced Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 430, as well as 4GB of RAM. The variant with 32GB of internal flash memory will retail at $230, the same price tag attached to the 2017 handset. HMD is also set to release a model with 64GB of storage space but its pricing details remain undisclosed. A microSD card slot with support for up to 128GB of additional memory is also part of the package, as are dual-SIM capabilities and a 5.5-inch IPS screen with an HD resolution of 1,920 by 1,080 pixels amounting to a widescreen aspect ratio of 16:9.
The bezels of the Nokia 6 (2018) appear to be slightly smaller than the ones found on the previous smartphone and the handset features somewhat more rounded corners, though it’s still designed in a largely traditional manner. The rear plate of the device houses a 16-megapixel camera with an LED flash and a circular fingerprint reader, whereas the opposite side of the Nokia 6 (2018) accommodates an 8-megapixel sensor. Should HMD opt to showcase the Nokia 6 (2018) later this week in Las Vegas, the mid-ranger is likely to be detailed at MWC 2018 next month and start retailing in the West in spring, presumably with a price tag that’s comparably aggressive to the one introduced in China.