Nokia, one of the strongest brands in the mobile phone industry, is officially ending its presence in the smartphone segment.
After a tumultuous history and repeated attempts to return to the market, Nokia devices are now just a memory for fans and technology enthusiasts.
Nokia: The Road to Extinction
The story begins in 2014, when Microsoft acquired the smartphone division Nokia in an attempt to boost the adoption of Windows Phones.
After the failure of this strategy, in 2016 a new hope was born through the partnership with HMD Global, a company that received the right to produce and sell phones under the Nokia brand.
HMD Global initially launched a series of Nokia smartphones with decent specifications and affordable prices. But recently, the company has started to focus on developing its own brand, releasing phones like HMD Key, Fusion, Arc, Skyline, Aura and Pulse.
The inevitable transformation
Visitors to HMD’s website are now finding that all Nokia models have been moved to a separate section, marked as ‘unavailable’.
Even the Nokia XR21, a mid-2023 model, has been rebranded as the HMD XR21. Basically, HMD has used the Nokia brand notoriety to build its own reputation in the smartphone market, and now it’s taking the step towards independence.
The name “Nokia” is not going away
HMD will continue to use this brand, but only for simple phones with a numeric keypad and basic functionality.
Signs of change were visible as early as early 2024, when HMD changed its Twitter account to “Nokia Mobile” and Nokia updated its visual identity.
For nostalgics and users who appreciate simplicity, Nokia feature phones will remain available, although HMD is starting to promote its own brand in this segment as well.
Impact on industry
For Nokia phone fans, this is a bittersweet change.
From the debut of the Nokia 6 in 2017, the first Nokia smartphone of the HMD era, to the limited edition Nokia XR21, the brand has managed to keep alive a name that evokes nostalgia and innovation. However, HMD seems ready to forge its own path, relying on the reputation it has built up over the years to assert itself in the market.
This transition marks a new chapter in the history of mobile phones. Nokia, a name that defined and dominated an era, is now becoming a symbol of the past, while HMD tries to write the future.
Source: www.go4it.ro
