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IFA innovations: Nokia 7.2, Nokia 6.2 and the return of the flip phone

5.9.2019

Translation: machine translated

Nokia is using the IFA in Berlin to present a total of six new products: three feature phones, two smartphones and a pair of headphones.

In a world full of smartphones, Nokia always has a touch of nostalgia. As the company behind the brand, HDM Global likes to capitalise on this. The Nokia 2720 Flip marks the return of the flip phone.

Back to the 90s

After years of holding a smartphone in your hand, it's quite something to hold a mobile phone unfolded to your ear again. And with the new Nokia 2720 Flip, you can not only make calls, but thanks to 4G and the latest version of the KaiOS operating system, you can also go online and use the Google Assistant or apps such as Facebook, YouTube, Google Maps or WhatsApp.

However, at 2.8 inches, the screen is significantly smaller than on smartphones and does not have such a high resolution. It is also not a touchscreen: It is operated via navigation buttons and text input via voice or the large buttons on the numeric keypad and T9 text recognition. On the outside, a 1.3-inch display keeps you up to date with the time and incoming messages. There is an SOS button on the side, which you can use to call a pre-defined contact by holding it down. The recommended retail price for the Nokia 2720 is 99 euros and 89 francs.

The Nokia 800 Tough is HMD Global's first rugged mobile phone. With its rubber casing, it can withstand drops from up to 1.8 metres and submersion in up to 1.5 metres of water for 30 minutes without damage. The feature phone has been awarded IP68 certification and compliance with the US military standard MIL 810G for its durability. KaiOS with apps from Google and Facebook - including WhatsApp - is also available as software. The Nokia 800 Tough will go on sale in October for 119 euros/francs. However, it will only be available in black for the time being. The camouflage version will probably not be available until December.

The new Nokia 110 is a small update of the affordable Nokia 105, priced by HMD Global at around 20 dollars. In return, you can now expect a camera in the feature phone and a memory that can be expanded to 32 gigabytes for pictures or MP3s. You can also listen to the radio with the mobile - for up to 27 hours. The battery lasts even longer in standby mode. It will be available to buy from mid-September and with its S30 software you won't be able to use WhatsApp, but you will be able to play Snake. Cost: 25 euros and available in Germany from October. There was no information on Switzerland yet.

Zeiss camera for the mid-range: Nokia 7.2

For the Nokia 7.2, HMD Global has once again teamed up with Zeiss and developed a triple camera with the employees of the optics company. Its lenses and flash are framed by a circle and protrude slightly from the Gorilla Glass 3 back. The main camera has a resolution of 48 megapixels. The 118-degree wide-angle camera has eight megapixels and the depth-of-field camera has five megapixels. However, smartphone cameras don't just depend on the hardware, but also on the software. That's why you can choose bokeh effects modelled on the Zeiss camera or rely on a night mode that recognises whether the smartphone is being held in the hand or mounted on a tripod. The front camera has a resolution of 20 megapixels.

Photos and many other things can be viewed on a 6.3-inch display with Full HD+ resolution. HMD Global calls the LCD technology used PureDisplay. It is important to know that this includes an extra chipset that converts the displayed content on the Nokia 7.2 into an HDR mode.

The frame of the housing is made of aluminium and is covered with a polycarbonate - a nicer word for plastic. A fingerprint sensor is available on the back and you can also set up facial recognition. There is also a 3.5 mm audio socket and a USB-C port. The latter is used to charge the 3500 mAh battery, which should last up to two days. The Nokia 7.2 has space for two SIM cards and a microSD card to expand the 64 gigabyte memory if required. The computing power of the Nokia 7.2 comes from a Snapdragon 660 and four gigabytes of RAM.

The Nokia 7.2 is also taking part in the Android One programme. This means that HMD Global is not adding its own apps or user interface to the operating system. System updates are also promised for two years and security updates for three years. Android Q is set to be released on the smartphone in 2019.

HMD Global has hidden the notification LED in a button on the side of the Nokia 7.2. Speaking of buttons: There is also an extra button to start the Google Assistant on the smartphone. This is old hat, but what is really new is the "Google Assistant Ambient Mode". It activates when charging and transforms the smartphone into a small smart display.

The Nokia 7.2 will be available for 299 euros/francs.

The weak twin: Nokia 6.2

The Nokia 7.2 has a twin in the Nokia 6.2. The front is completely identical, but the back of the 6.2 is reflective and not matt. It is also made of Gorilla Glass 3 and if you look closely, you will notice differences in the triple camera. One lens has a different diameter to the 7.2. The main camera of the Nokia 6.2 only has a resolution of 16 megapixels. The wide-angle and depth-of-field cameras have remained unchanged.

Even the weight of the two smartphones is identical at 180 grams. The Snapdragon 636 chipset in the Nokia 6.2 is slightly slower, but also has four gigabytes of RAM. The battery, software and connections are the same as the Nokia 7.2.

The Nokia 6.2 will be available from October for 249 euros/francs - 50 euros/francs less than the Nokia 7.2. Tests will show whether the extra charge for the camera is worth it.

Second attempt: Nokia Power Earbuds

The Nokia Power Earbuds are HMD Global's second attempt to bring true wireless headphones to the market alongside smartphones. The first attempt failed for me, as the spring mechanism of the housing failed after a few days and made it impossible to charge the headphones. Now the earbuds, which support Bluetooth 5.0, are housed in a case with a hinged lid. This gives us hope that they will last longer. You can try them out at the end of October, when they are due to come onto the market for 79 euros. <p

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Jan Johannsen

Senior Editor

Jan.Johannsen@galaxus.de

When I was but a young student, I'd sit in my friend's living room with all my classmates and play on his SuperNES. Since then I've had the opportunity to test out all the newest technology for you. I've done reviews at Curved, Computer Bild and Netzwelt, and have now arrived at Galaxus.de.

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IFA innovations: Nokia 7.2, Nokia 6.2 and the return of the flip phone

Back to the 90s

Zeiss camera for the mid-range: Nokia 7.2

The weak twin: Nokia 6.2

Second attempt: Nokia Power Earbuds

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