Nokia 5.3 Kenya — Nokia 5.3 different colours...

HMD Global has unveiled its new lineup of smartphones. The three new devices are the Nokia 8.3 with 5G, Nokia 5.3, and Nokia 1.3.

If you’re wondering what happened to the ‘.2’ generation, well HMD seems to be skipping that all together and calling all their upcoming devices ‘.3’. This will be a confusing naming scheme when more devices are launched. I wish they stuck with the year names where it will be a Nokia 5 2018, Nokia 5 2019, Nokia 5 2020. That would be a simple naming method everyone would remember. Now, one has to crack their head to remember what generation they’re getting.

The three new devices will be available later on in the year. We aren’t sure if the Nokia 8.3 5G will come to Kenya, but should it come, it’ll be one of the “cheaper” 5G options. Though you should first check the specs before considering it.

The most important device in the new line up is the Nokia 5.3. It takes from the Nokia 5.1 Plus, a device I really loved. USB Type-C is still here, though there’s no fast charging. The quad-camera system is what I’ll be looking to test once the devices are available in the market. I also want to see how it will compete with Huawei’s upcoming devices that will lack Google apps. Such a contrast it will be: a Huawei Phone with no Google apps, and a Nokia phone that’s updated directly from Google.

Here are the devices:

Nokia 8.3 5G:

Nokia’s new flagship isn’t as flagship as other flagships from other companies. Instead of the full Snapdragon 865 like on Samsung’s S20 series, you get the Snapdragon 765G. It is a chipset that supports 5G, and it’s built on a 7nm process. There’s a powerful Zeiss optics Quad camera setup, a 24MP selfie camera, a 4500mAh battery with 18W fast charging. Check the full specs here.

Nokia 5.3:

This is the most important phone in this new line-up. It falls at a price range where there’s very stiff competition from many companies. This is a phone many of you will be considering. There’s USB Type-C, a huge battery, the same design, but a new range of cameras, and a powerful processor. Check the full specs here.

Nokia 1.3:

This will be the company’s latest ultra-budget smartphone. It is part of the Android GO program, yes, but it is also an Android ONE device. Meaning users will be getting Android 11, and thereafter Android 12. Which is great for a sub $100 phone with just 1GB RAM and 16GB storage. How it competes with other Android Go devices expected through the year is something I want to see. Especially in terms of pricing. Full specs here.

What are your thoughts on the new devices? Looking to upgrade?