HMD Leak Alert: Codenamed N159V Handset Surfaces Online Ahead of Official Announcement
Following a significant rebranding move by HMD Global, which involved shedding the Nokia branding across all platforms, the company has undergone a noticeable shift in its online identity. Notably, Nokia.com now redirects to HMD.com, and the official Twitter handle, formerly @nokiamobile, has been updated to @HMDglobal. While this transition initially fueled speculation that HMD would exclusively unveil its own-branded products moving forward, recent developments suggest otherwise. A recent report has surfaced, indicating the discovery of several new Nokia-branded smartphones listed on the IMEI database.
According to a report from GSMChina, a total of 17 new Nokia models have been identified on the IMEI website, boasting model numbers spanning from TA-1603 to TA-1628. Each of these models holds the potential to offer unique features and specifications, with variations likely to include diverse RAM and storage configurations.
Moreover, speculation suggests that some of these models may make their debut at the upcoming Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2024 in Barcelona, scheduled to take place from February 26 to February 29.
While specifics regarding these purported Nokia smartphones remain scarce, the mere presence of these listings reaffirms Nokia’s continued presence in the mobile market under the stewardship of HMD Global.
Notably, Nokia’s collaboration with HMD Global, established through a 10-year deal in 2016, is set to endure until 2026. As such, consumers can expect to see a steady stream of new Nokia offerings in the market, with the models spotted on the IMEI database likely poised for imminent release, possibly within the current year.
Recently, nine new HMD-branded handsets were reportedly spotted on the IMEI website. These could also all be different models, or some could be RAM and/or storage variants of a primary model. One HMD model with the codename N159V was recently leaked in a black colourway with a dual rear camera module with an LED flash. It was tipped to be a mid-range offering.
Another leak showed an HMD smartphone that is expected to launch in a blue colour option soon. It is seen with a 108-megapixel primary rear camera with optical image stabilisation (OIS) support placed within a rectangular camera module on the top left corner of the back panel. Nothing more is known of the model yet