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This is Nokia’s first Android-based iPhone 7 rival

Published Jan 9th, 2017 6:50AM EST
Nokia 6 Release Date
Image: Nokia / HMD Global

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The first Nokia Android smartphone is already here. Sure, it may not be the old Nokia that many of you loved, but the Finland-based company is still involved in this new mobile adventure. On Sunday, HMD Global, the company that secured the Nokia brand and licensing rights last year, announced the Nokia 6, the first of many Nokia Android handsets that are supposed to launch later this year.

Unfortunately, it’s not all great news. The Nokia 6 is heading to China first, and it’s not clear at this point whether it’ll launch in international markets. The phone isn’t the Android-based iPhone 7 you may have been looking for, as the Nokia 6 will be an affordable mid-ranger that crowds can afford. The phone will sell for 1699 CNY in China, or less than $250.

“The device, which is designed explicitly with the needs of users in mind, combines quality and in-built durability to deliver a real-life premium smartphone experience at a price point for the highly aspirational Chinese consumer,” HMD wrote in a press release.

The phone has a metal unibody made of 6000 series aluminum, and each shel needs some 11 hours of manufacturing time, including machine cutting, anodising, and polishing.

The fact that the Nokia 6 borrows some of its looks from the iPhone doesn’t escape us, including the 2.5D screen and the antenna lines on the back that mimic Apple’s iPhone 7 antennas.

The Nokia 6 features a 5.5-inch screen with Full HD resolution that’s protected by 2.5D Gorilla Glass. When it comes to specs, you’ll find inside a Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 processor, X6 LTE modem, 4GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, 16-megapixel rear camera with phase detection auto focus, 8-megapixel front camera, dual speakers with Dolby Atmos support, and Android 7.0 Nougat running the show.

HMD teases that more Nokia smartphones are coming in the first half of the year, so it’s likely some of them will be launched in international markets as well.

Chris Smith Senior Writer

Chris Smith has been covering consumer electronics ever since the iPhone revolutionized the industry in 2008. When he’s not writing about the most recent tech news for BGR, he brings his entertainment expertise to Marvel’s Cinematic Universe and other blockbuster franchises.

Outside of work, you’ll catch him streaming almost every new movie and TV show release as soon as it's available.