Nokia phone maker HMD launches its first self-branded mobile devices

TL;DR: HMD launches its first self-branded, budget-friendly, and easily repairable smartphones: HMD Pulse, Pulse Plus, Pulse Pro, and Vibe. Featuring Android 14, 90Hz displays, and replaceable batteries, these devices prioritize affordability and sustainability. The HMD Vibe, priced at $149, will be the only model available in the US.

They’re budget-friendly and easily repairable

What just happened? HMD, the maker of current Nokia-branded phones, has released its first handsets featuring the company’s name. The devices are budget-friendly while also offering high levels of repairability. They’re also environmentally friendly.

Finnish company HMD said in September that it would be establishing an original HMD brand of mobile devices that will exist alongside Nokia phones. Those devices have now been confirmed as the HMD Pulse, HMD Pulse Plus, HMD Pulse Pro, and HMD Vibe. The only one coming to the US is the HMD Vibe, which will cost a very wallet-friendly $149.

All three Pulse models share several similarities:

• Unisoc T606 chipset
• 6.65″ LCD screen
• 720p+ panel (20:9)
• 90Hz refresh rate

HMD says they can reach 600 nits and have 70% NTSC coverage.

All models come with Android 14 out of the box and the company promises 2 OS updates and 3 years of security patches. They feature 3.5mm headphone jacks, USB-C charging, 4G, Wi-Fi 5 (ac), Bluetooth 5.0, NFC, and GPS/Galileo. They’re available in a range of snazzy colours, too.

Sweet.

The base Pulse model has a 13MP primary camera, a depth sensor, and an 8MP hole punch selfie cam on the front. It’s IP52-rated for dust and water resistance, and there’s an up to 59-hour, 5,000mAh battery that can be replaced within about five minutes using basic tools (i.e., it’s not swappable). The battery is rated for 800 full charge cycles and uses 10W charging. There’s also a side fingerprint sensor and face unlock.

Pulse buyers can opt for 4GB or 6GB of RAM and get 64GB of storage. There’s also a microSD card slot for adding another 256GB. The phone goes for €140/£100 (about $125 – $150).

The Pulse Plus offers pretty much identical specs as the base model with the biggest difference being the rear camera, which is a 50MP snapper. It can also be equipped with up to 8GB of RAM and has 128GB of built-in storage. It’s priced at €160/£130 ($162 – $171).

The Pulse Pro

The Pulse Pro’s main difference is the upgraded 50MP selfie cam and 20W charging, which probably explains why it’s only 20 euros ($21) more expensive than the Plus model.

The HMD Vibe, the only model coming to the US, will be similar to the Pulse phones, featuring a 6.56-inch 90Hz display. The battery drops to 4,000MhA, it has up to 6GB of memory, and the “AI Dual Camera” system includes a 13MP main snapper. The phone uses a Snapdragon 680 SoC rather than Unisoc’s chip and will be priced at $149 when launched in May. It’s believed that Verizon will support the handset.

Impressive.