The hype around Nokia devices is phenomenal as HMD Global is bringing them back from the brim of extinction. A few handsets, namely the Nokia 3, Nokia 5 and Nokia 6, have already hit stores in select countries. And now more handsets – Nokia 7, Nokia 8 and Nokia 9 – are in the offing. However, the Nokia 9 is the flagship and it will have to compete with the just-unveiled Samsung Galaxy S8 and the yet-to-be released Xiaomi Mi 6 and Apple's iPhone 8.
Nokia 9 is expected to be released in the second half of 2017. Reports have claimed that it could be launched either in late July or early August. It is expected to come with a price tag of €749 in Europe, $699 in the United States and Rs 44,999 in India.
Also read: Best Nokia smartphones of 2017: Details of Nokia 7, 8 and 9
It is almost certain that the Nokia 9 will take on some of the flagships of 2017, like the Samsung Galaxy S8, Xiaomi Mi 6 and Apple's iPhone 8.
Here is how the handset will stack up against these premium flagships.
The Nokia 9 is expected to have a new bezel-less design in the front, with dual cameras at the back. It is expected to come with features like an IP68 water-and-dust resistant certification, a fingerprint scanner, an iris scanner and an OZO audio. Under the hood, it is expected to have a 5.5-inch QHD OLED display with a 1,440x2,560 resolution, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor, and an Android 7.1.2 Nougat operating system.
Reports also claim that the device will come packed with a 6GB RAM and a 64GB/128GB internal memory (with microSD card slot), mount a 22MP PDAF camera with Zeiss optics and a 12MP front-snapper, and powered by a 3,800mAh battery with Quick Charge 4.0 support.
On the other hand, the Xiaomi Mi 6 is expected to come in two variants. The regular model is expected to be priced at 2,299 Yuan (around $333 / Rs 21,800), sport a 5.15-inch display (1,920x1,080p resolution), powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor, run Android Nougat OS, come packed with a 4GB/6GB RAM and a 32GB/64GB/128GB internal memory, mount a 19MP main camera with Sony IMX400 sensor and an 8MP front-snapper, and house a 3,200mAH battery.
The other model, dubbed as the Mi 6 Plus, is expected to sport a 5.7-inch screen (2,560x1,440p resolution), powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor, and run Android Nougat OS. It is also expected to feature a 4GB/6GB/8GB RAM, a 64GB/128GB/256GB internal storage, a 12MP dual lens camera with Sony IMX362 sensor on the rear, an 8MP front-snapper, and a 4,500mAh battery with Quick Charge 4.0 support. It will be reportedly priced at 3,499 Yuan (around $508 / Rs 33,200).
Apple's iPhone 8 may be still months away before release but curiosity around it has started building up. It is expected to come in three variants, with an OLED screen, a new fingerprint ID solution, no physical button and with a wireless charger. The iPhone 8 is expected to sport a 4.7-inch display, iPhone 8 Plus with 5.5-inch screen, and a premium version with 5.8-inch display. The premium variant is expected to be priced at around $1,000 but key specifications are yet to be leaked.
The Samsung Galaxy S8 sports a 5.8-inch Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen with 1,440x2,960 pixels (570 ppi pixel density), powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 (US model) / Exynos 8895 processor (EMEA), and run Android 7.0 Nougat operating system. It features a 4GB RAM, a 64GB internal memory expandable by 256GB via microSD card, a 12MP main camera with f/1.7 aperture, 26mm lens, phase detection autofocus, OIS, LED flash, 1/2.5" sensor size, 1.4 µm pixel size and 9MP image recording, an 8MP front snapper with f/1.7 aperture and autofocus, and a 3,000mAh battery. It is priced at $720 in the US (around €669 / Rs 46,706).
Going by the specifications leaked so far, it seems that the Nokia 9 will come with the best technology currently available in the market and would be priced less than the iPhone 8 and the Galaxy S8, and a little more than the Mi 6. There are chances that people would be more attached to the Nokia device as it was the market leader at one point in time. So it is likely to beat the major flagships of 2017, or at least give them a run for money.
