HMD Global Quietly Removes Nokia Smartphones from Website, Focusing on Feature Phones?

HMD Global Quietly Removes Nokia Smartphones from Website, Focusing on Feature Phones?HMD Global recently removed all Nokia brand smartphones from its website (some language versions are still in the process of being removed). Currently, the company only showcases a few recently released models, including HMDFusion/Skyline/Pulse+, and a rebranded HMD XR21 smartphone, previously known as the Nokia XR21, on its English/American website

HMD Global Quietly Removes Nokia Smartphones from Website, Focusing on Feature Phones?

HMD Global recently removed all Nokia brand smartphones from its website (some language versions are still in the process of being removed). Currently, the company only showcases a few recently released models, including HMDFusion/Skyline/Pulse+, and a rebranded HMD XR21 smartphone, previously known as the Nokia XR21, on its English/American website. This move has sparked speculation in the industry about whether HMD Global will completely abandon the Nokia brand smartphone market and focus on the feature phone segment.

Despite no longer displaying Nokia brand smartphones on the website, HMD Global continues to showcase Nokia brand feature phones. This suggests the company will continue to sell "Nokia" branded feature phones under a licensing agreement for some time. In other words, a feature phone will have both "HMD" and "Nokia" branding.

This phenomenon has been further confirmed. According to IT Home on September 23rd, HMD Global's 2024 model of the Nokia 110 4G feature phone has passed certification from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. This feature phone is essentially a rebranded version of HMD 110, and its Chinese version is expected to be available for purchase soon.

HMD Global acquired the licensing rights to the Nokia phone brand in 2016 and launched several Nokia brand smartphones, reviving the brand at one point. However, in recent years, HMD Global has struggled to make significant breakthroughs in the increasingly competitive smartphone market, with its market share steadily declining. Whether this move signifies HMD Global's withdrawal from the smartphone market competition and a shift of focus towards feature phones remains to be seen.

It is noteworthy that the feature phone market has witnessed new trends in recent years. With the widespread adoption of 5G networks, some feature phones have begun to incorporate 5G technology, boasting enhanced functionalities and longer battery life. For instance, the Nokia 110 4G feature phone supports 4G networks and features a 1000mAh battery for extended usage time.

The future of HMD Global, whether it can leverage its dominance in the feature phone market to revitalize the Nokia brand, remains to be determined.