Nokia recently launched the Nokia X7 smartphone in China, and now the company is seemingly gearing up for bringing it as Nokia 8.1 for the global markets. Although the company is yet to reveal the timeline for the international launch, a report from 91Mobiles suggests that the Nokia 8.1 is headed for the Indian market and may launch soon. The Nokia 8.1 aka Nokia X7 is a mid-range smartphone with Snapdragon 710 processor, 6GB of RAM, and dual camera setup (13MP+12MP) at the rear.
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Nokia 8.1 Expected to Launch in India on November 28
The report states that Nokia 8.1 could enter the Indian market on November 28, 2018. Retail channels have revealed the launch date alongside the pricing of the device. The Nokia 8.1 is alleged to launch at INR 23,999 in India. Nokia has not started sending out the media invites yet, however, if this report stands true, then we may receive it soon.
Back in October 2018, the company launched the Nokia X7 aka Nokia 8.1 in China. We already know all the specifications, and we do not think that HMD Global will be making any additions to the device for the global markets. The Nokia X7 aka Nokia 8.1 features a 6.18-inch FHD+ display with 18.7:9 aspect ratio and 86.5 percent screen-to-body ratio. The phone comes powered by an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 710 processor paired with 4GB/6GB of RAM and 64GB/128GB of inbuilt storage, depending on the variant. The storage on the phone can be further expanded up to 400GB via microSD card.
The Nokia X7 aka Nokia 8.1 sports 12MP+13MP dual camera setup on the rear offering 1.4-micron pixels, dual-pixel autofocus, f/1.8 aperture, OIS, and fixed focus. There is a 20MP selfie snapper on the front with f/2.0 aperture and AI-assisted features. A 3500mAh battery backs the Nokia 8.1 with 18W fast charging support. Connectivity options on the phone include 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11ac with VoWiFi, a USB Type-C port, a 3.5mm headphone jack, Bluetooth v5.0, GPS/ A-GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, and FM radio. The phone measures 154.8×75.76×7.97 mm and weighs 178 grams.
Nokia 8.1 Expected Price in India, Competing with the Poco F1
The Nokia X7 was launched at CNY 1,699 (approx INR 18,000) for the 4GB RAM/64GB storage variant, CNY 1,999 (roughly INR 21,200) for the 6GB RAM/64GB storage model, and CNY 2,499 (around INR 26,500) for the high-end 6GB RAM/128GB storage variant. The phone debuted in Dark Blue, Night Red, Night Black, and Magic Night Silver color variants. Going by the pricing in China, we expect HMD Global to launch the Nokia 8.1 at a starting price of INR 23,999 in India.
HMD Global won’t be having it easy in India this time though. The Poco F1 (review) flagship by Xiaomi that comes with Snapdragon 845 SoC is retailing at a starting price of INR 20,999 in India. With a competitor geared with better specifications at a lower price, the Nokia 8.1 may find it tough to woo the Indian consumers this time. If HMD Global wants to have a fair play in the market against the Poco F1, it may have to reconsider the pricing of its upcoming phone. We think that the Nokia 8.1 should be priced under 18K to cast a difference.
Not just the Poco F1, there are a slew of phones by other brands such as Honor and Asus, that will be competing in the same price segment.
What’s your take on the Nokia 8.1? Do you think that this upcoming phone from HMD Global will be able to stand the competition in the Indian smartphone market? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below.
While the Nokia X7 aka Nokia 8.1 is yet to go official in India, check out our review video for another HMD Global phone, the Nokia 6.1 Plus (review). Subscribe to our YouTube channel to get notified for our latest uploads.
