HMD - the manufacturer behind Nokia Android phones - has dropped the iconic brand from its latest range of smartphones, launching them under its own name.
HMD General Manager for Australia and Oceania, Brenden Folitarik, told WhistleOut that the change is a "fresh start"
The brand is evolving, but we also have all the amazing infrastructure we've put in place since we launched in 2017, from engineering to logistics," said Folitarik.
To that end, HMD phones are still being sold through the same retail partners as its Nokia devices. Convincing a store like JB Hi-Fi to range a new phone brand can be a challenging task, so having the pre-existing relationship here seems to have benefited HMD.
When HMD first launched, it signed a ten-year license to use the Nokia name. This comes to an end in 2026, and there has been speculation that HMD has shifted to using its own name on devices in preparation for when that happens. Neither HMD or Nokia have publicly said anything about whether they plan to renew the agreement.
The first phones released under the HMD banner are the Pulse, Pulse Plus, and Pulse Pro, all of which will sell for under $300. While all three are what you might call typical budget Android phones, they stand out thanks to user-repairability.
The devices are designed to be easy to repair at home, without the need for professional help. Replacement parts are available to order through iFixit, and come with the tools needed. A replacement screen costs $74.99 for example, while a fresh battery is available for $40.99.
All three Pulse phones have the same core specs: a 6.56-inch 720p+ display with a 90Hz refresh rate, a Unisoc T606 processor, 128GB of expandable storage, IP52 splash-resistance, and a 5,000mAh battery.
Cameras and RAM are the key differences across the line. The $299 Pulse Pro has 6GB of RAM, a 50MP primary camera, a 2MP depth sensor, and a 50MP selfie camera. The $259 Pulse Plus has 4GB of RAM, a 50MP primary camera and an 8MP selfie camera. And the standard Pulse has 4GB of RAM, a 13MP primary camera and an 8MP selfie camera.
Every phone in the Pulse family will get two years of operating system updates and three years of security updates. They run Android 14 out of the box. It's all worth noting the handsets are 4G-only. They don't support 5G.
All three phones are available now, from retailers including JB Hi-Fi, Harvey Norman, and Officeworks. The HMD Pulse Plus will also be launching as a prepaid phone on Telstra and Vodafone but there's no firm timeline on this yet.
Despite dropping the Nokia name from its latest smartphones, HMD is still using the classic brand for dumb phones. It launched four new Nokia dumb phones this week, including a "remastered" version of the Nokia 3210. The new 3210 sells for $129 outright, and is being pitched as a digital detox device. Pretty much all it does is make calls, send text messages, and play Snake.
HMD will also be launching a Barbie feature phone in the second half of this year. Folitarik told WhistleOut that the phone will be available in Australia.
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Alex Choros
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