HMD Global recently refreshed its online presence by dropping the Nokia branding from all spheres. Nokia.com is now redirected to HMD.com, and the X (formerly Twitter) handle of @nokiamobile has changed to @HMDglobal. The Finnish company was already expected to launch its products, including smartphones. This major transition led many to believe we would see only HMD-branded products hereon and no more Nokia items. But a report claims to have found new Nokia-branded smartphones listed on the IMEI website.
A GSMChina report claims to have spotted 17 new Nokia models on the IMEI website, with model numbers ranging from TA-1603 to TA-1628. All these models could be completely different; some could also have different RAM and storage variants of a particular model. The report adds that some of these models could even launch at the upcoming Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2024 in Barcelona, which is scheduled to be held from February 26 to February 29.
The report does not include any details about these purported smartphones other than the fact that they do indeed carry the Nokia branding. Notably, Nokia signed a 10-year deal with HMD Global in 2016, which is set to expire in 2026. Therefore, it is not a stretch to expect newer Nokia models to continue gracing the market until then. Although the models now spotted on the IMEI database will likely launch sooner than later, possibly within this year.
Recently, nine new HMD-branded handsets were reportedly spotted on the IMEI website. These could also all be different models, or some could be RAM and/or storage variants of a primary model. One HMD model with the codename N159V was recently leaked in a black colourway with a dual rear camera module with an LED flash. It was tipped to be a mid-range offering.
Another leak showed an HMD smartphone that is expected to launch in a blue colour option soon. It is seen with a 108-megapixel primary rear camera with optical image stabilisation (OIS) support placed within a rectangular camera module on the top left corner of the back panel. Nothing more is known of the model yet.
