HMD Global Drops Nokia Branding From Official Website, X Account; Company Says HMD Devices Coming Soon

HMD Global, which has been making Nokia-branded smartphones for the past seven years, will sell its own line of HMD-branded devices soon. The latest move by the Finnish company is expected to mark an end to Nokia branded smartphones. HMD is currently teasing its upcoming product portfolio offering a few clues on what you can next expect from HMD phones. One notable change is the change in the X service user ID and website address. The first HMD-branded smartphone is expected to debut during the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2024 event in Barcelona.

Nokia.com/phones website now redirects to HMD.com. Its X ID has now shifted to @HMDglobal instead of @nokiamobile signifying the company's transition. HMD's official website states that the company is establishing an original HMD brand alongside bringing phones from all-new partnerships.  "We're still makers of Nokia smartphones and Nokia dumbphones, but we're getting warmed up to bring you even more, including original HMD devices, and phones from all-new partnerships" the website reads. The portfolio will include smartphones, tablets, and feature phones. 

In a teaser video shared on the company website, HMD Global highlights the currently emphasised Human Mobile Devices name behind its abbreviation. It states that HMD is the "manufacturer of Nokia phones".

HMD Global was established in 2016 after Microsoft sold its rights to the Nokia brand for ten years. The Nokia 6 was launched as the first handset by HMD Global back in 2017.

Details about the name of the first HMD smartphone and its launch date are unknown at this moment. As per past leaks, the handset is said to be codenamed N159V and includes a dual rear camera unit, led by a 108-megapixel primary rear sensor with support for optical image stabilisation (OIS). It is expected to come in black and cyan colour options with plastic frames. It is anticipated to be launched at the MWC event in Barcelona scheduled to take place in February last week. The HMD brand is expected to co-exist alongside its Nokia phones.