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We finally have a launch date for Nokia’s first ‘iPhone killer’

Updated Jul 25th, 2017 6:55AM EDT
Nokia 8 Release Date
Image: VentureBeat

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More than 10 years have passed since the first iPhone hit stores, but Nokia was never able to come up with a decent iPhone rival. An undisputed leader in the mobile business when the iPhone arrived, Nokia had to die a slow and painful death before it embraced Android. Fast forward to today, and we already have there Nokia-branded Android handsets in stores. Furthermore, HMD Global, the company making these handsets, is about to launch the first flagship phone that does two critical things: It runs the latest Android version, and it displays a Nokia logo.

Until today, we had no confirmation on when the phone will launch. A report said that HMD will unveil it on July 31st, but it looks like that’s not going to happen. HMD sent out press invites to the media for a press event, The Verge reports. The Nokia 8 wasn’t specifically mentioned, but that’s probably the phone that HMD will present to the world in London on August 16th, at 7:30 PM local time.

Thanks to a flurry of leaks, including HMD’s accidental listing of the phone on its Chinese-language site, we know the Nokia 8 is real. We know it’ll sport Galaxy S8-grade specs, and it’ll even feature a dual lens camera on the back.

It might lack an all-screen design, but the Nokia 8 may turn out to be a great alternative to the iPhone, as well as the other Android flagships in town. Rumors claim the handset will cost less than $600, which will make it a lot more affordable than the iPhone 8, iPhone 7s, Galaxy Note 8, and Pixel 2 — all these phones are supposed to launch in the coming months.

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.