HMD Global has announced at MWC 2018 that it is trying to become one of the top 5 smartphone manufacturers. HMD Global is trying to accomplish this in the next 3 to 5 years of operations. The Finnish smartphone maker also revealed that the US launch of its smartphones is not its core focus currently.
It is worth noting that HMD Global launched 4 Nokia smartphones and a revamped feature phone at the Mobile World Congress this year. For more detailed MWC 2018 coverage, make sure you check out our full news coverage and hands-on of devices launched during the event this year at #GTUMWC2018.
No new Nokia smartphones in the US in 2018
An executive from HMD Global confirmed that the Nokia 8110 4G which recently got released at MWC 2018 will not reach Australian market. HMD Global President and CEO, Florian Seiche told in an interview with CNET that no new Nokia smartphones will get released in the US in 2018. He further said, “It’s not a core focus for this year, but certainly it is on our roadmap.”
The company’s ambition of becoming one of the top 5 manufacturers seems to be contradicting its inhibitions of getting into the US market. Instead, HMD Global is focusing on markets like India, Russia, Indonesia and some regions of Europe where the company has already created a brand value in less than 12 months of sales.
At the Mobile World Congress this year, HMD Global launched four smartphones and one feature phone. The launch event saw the company announce its latest flagship, the Nokia 8 Sirocco, its new mid-range offering, the Nokia 7 Plus, the Nokia 6 (2018) and the Nokia 1. In addition to this, HMD also announced the Nokia 8110 4G, banking on the nostalgia factor. All these new Nokia phones are going to be launched in India in the coming weeks, the company revealed.
HMD Global CEO Mr. Seiche said that company is going to focus on increasing the market share in all these markets where the company is already selling the smartphones. Launching new smartphones in developed countries like the US is a big opportunity as well as a challenge due to the carrier model.
The company has launched a few handsets in the US like the Nokia 3310 4G, Nokia 6 and Nokia 2 but there are no plans of releasing more smartphones to the US markets, not even the recently released “Banana phone”, the Nokia 8110 4G.
There is no statement about whether the company is going to tie up with any mobile carrier in US which is needed if they want to enter the US market. The CEO, Seiche said “Too early yet. We have all options available” about the tie-up.
