Nokia 1 Android Go available in India: Quick facts about Google phone

HMD Global Oy launched its most affordable smartphone, the Nokia 1, in India. It was globally unveiled at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2018 in Barcelona in late February.

Now, the special Google-affiliated budget Android Go edition phone will be available in the country from March 28 onwards and is priced at Rs 5,499.

What makes Nokia 1 Android Go edition special?

Most of the companies, in a bid to cut down on making costs, compromise on quality and internal hardware, but HMD Global Oy's Nokia 1 offers much more than the asking price. This is one of the best choices for a first-time smartphone buyer.

Build quality:

Nokia phones have always been known for their firm covers and Nokia 1 is no exception. It sports a time-tested sturdy polycarbonate shell that can sustain not just daily wear and tear, occasional drops also. It comes in two color options — warm red and deep blue.

For additional protection, HMD Global is offering Xpress On-branded accessories in vivid shades — 'azure — grey' and 'yellow — pink' combos. But, they have to be purchased separately for Rs 450.

Pure Android experience:

One of the major benefits of owning a Nokia 1 is that it runs pure Android OS. It comes with the Google's latest v8.1 Oreo version. Also, it won't have any bloatware, skins, UI changes or unnecessary pre-loaded apps.

It has to be noted that this special Android Go edition is built specifically for low-end models so that they offer a clean interface and get the most out of the phone's features.

For the uninitiated, Google has optimized the Android Go OS specifically for budget smartphones with bare minimum hardware having 1GB RAM (or less) RAM. It is very light in size but does not compromise in terms of performance.

The Android team has also improvised the preinstalled Google apps (for example: Files Go, Google Go, Maps Go and YouTube Go, among others) to take up 50 percent less space, making sure that low-end smartphone users get more space for music, apps, photos and other activities.

Furthermore, Android Go edition phones are guaranteed to get the latest software updates and security patches before (with exception of Google's high-end Pixel phones) any other rival brands in the market.

Processor, RAM and storage:

Nokia 1 comes with 1.1GHz MediaTek quad-core processor, which is more than enough to perform basic functions such as fast loading of apps, switching between multiple apps, playing games and running videos.

It features 1GB LPDDR 3 RAM and 8GB internal storage with an option to expand up to 128GB storage through microSD card.

Camera hardware:

Nokia 1 comes with good photography hardware for an entry-level category phone. It houses 5MP camera with autofocus and LED flash on the back.

And, on the front, it features 2MP camera, which can take a decent selfie.

Nokia 1 price and launch offers:

Nokia 1 costs Rs 5,499 and will be available in warm red and deep blue colors from March 28 across India.

As part of the launch offer, HMD Global Oy in collaboration with Reliance Jio is offering cashback of Rs. 2200, bringing the effective price of Nokia 1 to Rs 3299. In addition, the consumer also gets 60GB of additional data. This offer is applicable for new and existing Jio customers, the company said.

Also, all prospective Nokia 1 consumers are entitled for a complimentary 12-month Accidental Damage Insurance by Servify but have to open the Kotak 811 savings account and activate it with an initial deposit of Rs 1,000 in the introductory period.

Furthermore, Nokia 1 buyers can also claim 20 percent off on booking first ride via redBus mobile app.

Follow us @IBTimesIN_Tech on Twitter for the latest news on HMD Global Oy's Nokia products.

Key specifications of Nokia 1: