Nokia accidentally leaked its first premium Android phone
An official Nokia website featured pictures of the unannounced Nokia 8 -- and then erased the evidence.
Actions speak louder than words. Especially when that action is Nokia briefly "announcing" the rumored Nokia 8 on one of its official websites, before quickly taking it down again. Luckily, fans noticed Nokia jumping the gun and immortalized the moment in screenshots.
That's enough of a confirmation for us.
The Nokia 8 represents the brand's first-ever premium Android handset, and its best chance at redeeming its reputation. Nokia's mobile brand, which was once one of the top two phone brands in the world, dwindled in importance in the age of Android, eventually being sold to Microsoft and then HMD Global, a Finnish company that bought the rights to use Nokia's name. Although the Nokia 3, Nokia 5 and Nokia 6 phones were the first to showcase Android on a Nokia device, the midrange efforts haven't been nearly robust enough to put Nokia back in competition with Android powerhouses like the Samsung Galaxy S8, LG G6 and Google Pixel.
A few days ago we got a detailed look at a device alleged to be the Nokia 8, as surfaced by VentureBeat. It claimed that the phone may get top-tier features like dual 13-megapixel cameras and a fast Snapdragon 835 chip. Other rumored specs include:
- 5.3-inch screen
- 2,560x1,440-pixel resolution
- 4GB/6GB of RAM
- Android 7.1.1 Nougat OS
With specs like these, the Nokia 8 was rumored to be priced around 589 euros (roughly $675, £520 or AU$865). This would make it considerably more expensive than the midrange Nokia phones.
Rumors also say that the phone could launch as early as July 31. With that date coming up fast, be sure to keep an eye out for more Nokia 8 news and stay posted to CNET for more updates.
Neither HMD Global or Nokia responded to a request for comment.