Exactly one week ago we saw some interesting marketing materials leak from HMD Global. These materials were for an upcoming Nokia phone that claimed to be a rebranded version of the Nokia X7. We've talked about the benefits of smartphone companies rebranding their devices for a number of reasons. It saves them money while making the public think they are coming up with more phones than they actually are. It can also help them to distinguish consumer reception for specific markets. In this specific case, it allows Nokia to take the X7 that they launched in China and rebrand it as the Nokia 8.1 for Google's Android One program.

Comparing the leaked marketing materials to the newly published product page for the Nokia 8.1 shows just how accurate that previous leak was. There are some subtle differences here and there. This includes the leaked specs slide referring to the phone by its codename "Phoenix" while the official product page calls it the Nokia 8.1. Still, the phone comes with a 6.18-inch 1080p+ "PureDisplay" with the same notch we have previously seen in the Nokia X7. It has the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 710 chipset and 4GB of RAM.

Now, not everything is the same though, and that is the benefits which come with the Android One program. Nokia is fast with their updates in general, but the Nokia X7 launched with Android 8.1 Oreo out of the box while the Nokia 8.1 will start you right off with Android Pie. You can also expect speedy updates with the Android One program. The Nokia 8.1 will go on sale in mid-December for around €399.

Specs

Nokia 8.1

Software

Android Pie (Android One)

Size

154.8 x 75.76 x 7.97 mm, 180g

Display

6.18-inch 1080p+ PureDisplay

Chipset

Qualcomm Snapdragon 710

RAM

4GB

Internal Storage

64GB

Rear Cameras

12 MP 1/2.55’’, 1.4um pixels, OIS 2PD, Secondary 13 MP FF

Front Camera

20 MP FF/0.9um

Battery

3,500mAh with fast charging

Misc

microSD card slot, 3.5mm headphone port, 18 W fast charging, fingerprint scanner

Colors

Blue/Silver, Steel/Copper, Iron/Steel


Source: Nokia