Nokia 3310 4G launched in China. But will it work in India?
Finnish smartphone maker Nokia made quite a splash at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) last year with its announcement of a number of interesting smartphones. During the event, it took the wraps off key devices – including the Nokia 3310 – that saw the HMD-Global powered company make a successful comeback in the market.
The Nokia 3310 4G, which was earlier expected to be unveiled at MWC, was launched in China today (January 30). It packs support for 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi hotspot. Unlike the 2G variant, it runs on YunOS, an operating system based on the Android Open Source Project (AOSP), made by the Alibaba Group.
Apart from the new connectivity options and the OS, the phone does not provide much in the way innovation and comes with the same design and core specs – except for the internal storage which has been expanded from 64MB to 512MB. The Nokia 3310 flaunts a 2.4-inch QVGA colour display with a polarised layer on top, a 2MP rear camera with an LED flash, microSD support and a 1,200mAh-battery that can be charged via a port.
Pricing and availability
As of now, there has been no word on the pricing and availability of the Nokia 3310 4G. However, reports suggest the phone is expected to go on sale in China sometime in February via China Mobile. As for its availability in India and other key markets, we can expect more information about the same during the MWC 2018 where it is expected to be showcased along with Nokia 9 and Nokia 1.
Will it be successful in India?
It might just.
Unlike the first Nokia 3310, which did not bring to the table much apart from nostalgia, this new device could actually work in the Indian market which needs an influx of ultra-affordable 4G phones to cater to the demand created after the entry of Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Jio.
With its unique design, and hopefully the inclusion of applications like WhatsApp and Facebook because of its move to the Android-based YunOs, the 4G ready 3310, if priced right, could serve as a brilliant alternative to the existing ultra-affordable 4G feature phones available in the smartphone market.
More in store
Reports have suggested that Nokia could build on the successes of last year and not just announce a flagship in the form of Nokia 9, but cut across budget segments and unveil the Nokia 1 – expected to be its cheapest Android smartphone yet.
However, even as these two phones remain in the realm of speculation for now, what's been confirmed is that the smartphone maker will indeed bring a refreshed variant of its indestructible phone, the Nokia 3310 — without limiting its influence in China.