If your primary complaint about new Android phones is that they’re still too expensive, then the Nokia 1.4 is keen to say something. The latest from HMD Global, the new entry-level smartphone pushes the screen size up in the budget of the Nokia series, but also keeps the price low: under 100 euros even.
Indeed, the Nokia 1.4 costs just € 99 ($ 115), which is astonishingly low for a brand new smartphone. Despite the price tag, you also get a hefty screen: a 6.51-inch HD + panel, which, according to HMD Global, is the largest ever offered on a Nokia 1 series.
It runs on the Android 10 Go edition, although apparently it is ready for the Android 11 Go edition, on Qualcomm’s 215 chipset. The memory depends on the market, but ranges from 1 GB to 3 GB, and there is 16 GB, 32 GB or 64 GB internal storage. A microSD slot can hold up to 128 GB cards.
There are two cameras on the back: the primary has an 8-megapixel sensor with autofocus, while the secondary is a 2-megapixel macro sensor. There is both portrait mode and night mode for photos. A 5 megapixel camera in the teardrop-shaped notch on the front processes selfies.
Even with the price tag, HMD Global still found room in the budget for a fingerprint sensor. There is also a 3.5mm headphone jack and an FM radio, although unsurprisingly you don’t get the very latest connectivity like 5G or WiFi 6. Instead, the Nokia scores 1.4 at LTE Cat 4 – far from potential LTE speeds on other recent (and much more expensive) phones – and Wi-Fi b / g / n, along with Bluetooth 4.2.
Relatively frugal specifications make the most of the Nokia 1.4’s 4,000 mAh battery. That could take a few days for a fee – topping up via microUSB, not USB-C – the company says. There are single-SIM and dual-SIM variants, and both have a dedicated Google Assistant button (which works like a Google search shortcut in areas where Assistant isn’t available yet).
The sale of the Nokia 1.4 starts today, February 3, says HMD Global at a price of 99 euros. It is offered in three colors: Fjord, Charcoal and Dusk. No word yet on specific market availability, although the product page suggests there will be a US version.