First Look: Nokia 3, 5 and 6 Android Phones Make it to India

The new Nokia phones will be launched in India soon. We spend time with the devices and tell you what to expect.

Nokia 3, 5 and 6 are the first Android phones from HMD Global. (Photo: The Quint)

HMD Global, the company that now owns the Nokia brand, is closing in on its India launch. It is expected to unleash not one but three mid-range Android devices – the 3, 5 and 6 – which will go head-on against established players like Xiaomi and Moto.

So, how do the latest Nokia offerings rank alongside the competition? And can we expect them to be a match for the Nokia devices of old? We spent some time with the phones to find out.

Pure Android running on the Nokia 3. (Photo: The Quint)

Design

HMD Global has taken a cue from existing brands and made sure that there is no compromise in the construction of its handsets.

The Nokia phones of yesteryear were popular for their durability – and the 3, 5 and 6 seem to boast the same quality.

The Nokia 3, 5 and 6 get aluminium-grade finishing. (Photo: The Quint)

The aluminium-grade finishing of these phones, along with the 2.5D Corning Gorilla Glass, could give us back the durability that’s been missing in smartphones these days. The design of the Nokia phones will be key for HMD Global and we’re hopeful they can pull it off.

The fingerprint scanner has been integrated in the home button. (Photo: The Quint)

The camera sensors are placed at the back, while the fingerprint scanner has been integrated in the front, within the home button. All three phones come in a sturdy yet compact design package.

Display

Brands like Xiaomi have spoilt the Indian consumer with an affordable range of devices which are high on value. So, for Nokia, it all hinges on offering a product that offers buyers their money's worth.

The 5-inch HD display gets laminated coating, making it sunlight-readable. (Photo: The Quint)

Unlike the Xiaomis and Motos, the Nokia 3 and 5 will offer HD quality resolution, while the Nokia 6 packs in full-HD. Quality-wise, there isn’t much we can complain about, but we’d like to reserve our judgement till we get our hands on the final product that'll be sold in the country.

Camera

The Nokia Lumia range boasted a quality camera sensor. The Lumia 1020 and even the 950 showed what the Carl Zeiss lens was capable of. However, with the Nokia 3,5 and 6, you’ll have to make do with mid-range camera optics that get the basic job done without any fuss.

You get an 8 and 16-megapixel snappers on the Nokia 5 and 6 respectively. (Photo: The Quint)

While using the cameras on these three phones, we realised that the sensors deliver when there’s plenty of light but might fall short in low light.

What We Think

The Nokia 3,5 and 6 look and feel like a solid, well-packaged product from HMD Global. With prices starting from Rs 9,499 for the Nokia 3, what’s quite apparent is that HMD’s banking on Nokia’s recall value among consumers in the country.

Nokia 3,5 and 6 all in one frame. (Photo: The Quint)

The build quality and design of these three phones reminds us of the old Nokia phones we loved, but it remains to be seen if HMD Global has managed to pack in the features that matter as well.

This story was first published on 9 May, 2017. We have updated this story with the prices of the Nokia 3,5 and 6 smartphones.