HMD Global, the company that licensed the Nokia brand for smartphones since 2016, has officially stopped selling Nokia-branded smartphones. This marks a significant shift as HMD focuses on its own HMD-branded devices. The Nokia name will now primarily be used for low-cost feature phones.
The End of an Era for Nokia Smartphones
Nokia, once a dominant force in the mobile phone industry, struggled to compete in the smartphone era. Following Microsoft's failed attempt to revitalize the brand with Windows phones, a licensing deal in 2016 allowed HMD to release Nokia-branded smartphones. HMD produced a number of well-regarded, affordable devices under the Nokia name. However, they have since been phasing out Nokia-branded smartphones, and as of today, they have moved to their own brand for the devices.
HMD's Focus on its Own Brand
When visiting HMD's smartphone website, you'll now see a list of recent HMD-branded phones like the HMD Key, Arc, Skyline, Fusion, Aura, and Pulse. The Nokia-branded phones are relegated to a separate “legacy devices” page, where all listings are marked as "no longer available."
Interestingly, this includes even the relatively recent Nokia XR21, which was released in mid-2023. However, it appears the XR21 is still available, but now under the HMD brand as the "HMD XR21."
Nokia Name for Feature Phones
HMD seems to have achieved its goal of building a solid reputation in the smartphone market using the Nokia name. Now they're ready to move forward under their own brand. While Nokia smartphones are no longer available, HMD will continue to use the Nokia name for simpler, low-cost feature phones.
Source: liliputing
