The Nokia 1 got announced exactly a month ago at the MWC 2018, and it’s now made its way to India. The entry-level handset has been priced at Rs 5499 and will go up sale through offline outlets starting from March 28.
The rate is a bit high considering how basic the Nokia 1 is compared to rivals like the Xiaomi Redmi 5A which goes for Rs 5999. The former runs on a lite version of Android called Android Oreo (Go Edition). The OS has been optimized for basic phones by taking up less space and featuring lighter versions of full-fledged apps.
Google’s entire suit of Go apps can be found here, including YouTube Go, Gmail Go, Android Assistant Go edition, and Google Maps Go. Even the Play Store features lite versions of apps. There are also data saving features built into Chrome Go which saves up to 60% of data.
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The Nokia 1 is a pretty bare-bones device, featuring a plastic body with a removable back. HMD Global is selling 2 Xpress-on covers in azure/grey and pink/yellow color options at Rs 450 apiece starting from April. The phone itself is available in blue and red.
Specifications of the Nokia 1:
– Display: 4.5-inch IPS, 480 x 854 pixels
– OS: Android 8.1 Oreo (Go Edition)
– Storage: 8GB, expandable till 128GB
– RAM: 1GB
– CPU: quad-core 1.1GHz MediaTek MT6737M
– Camera: 5MP rear, 2MP front
– Battery: 2150mAh
– Size: 133.6 x 67.78 x 9.5mm
– Weight: 131g
– Connectivity: dual-SIM, 4G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2, microUSB 2.0, A-GPS, USB OTG
There are already plenty of full-fledged Android phones available in India at around Rs 5499, so the Nokia 1 will have its work cut out for it. Perhaps if it had feature phone rates the phone might have had an edge over others. It’s one of the first Android Go phones out there, so the future of the OS depends on its success or failure.