HMD Global has updated a handful of classic Nokia phones, but what if it brought back other smartphones from the old Nokia era? The Nokia E72 and Nokia N95 could make a much-anticipated return.
When HMD Global Oy, the Finnish company licensed to make Nokia-branded phones, announced a modern variant of the Nokia 3310 in 2017, I hoped it would also revive some of the classic Nokia smartphones. Unfortunately, despite the return of Nokia-branded smartphones seven years ago, none of the models released by HMD Global have been revived classics from the original Nokia era. It’s a safe bet that this will never happen, since HMD Global has launched its own brand of smartphones. Nonetheless, here are four classic Nokia smartphones that I’d like to see redesigned.
Smartphones with a QWERTY keyboard enjoyed a brief renaissance a few years ago with the launch of models such as the BlackBerry Keyone, BlackBerry KEY2, and the Unihertz Titan. Since Nokia’s E series smartphones were famous for their QWERTY keyboard and productivity features, HMD Global could have launched a modern version of one of the models in the series. Although HMD has many models in the series to choose from, the Nokia E72 is my personal choice.
A modern version of the Nokia E72 would benefit from several key improvements, such as a larger screen with touch support, better cameras, a larger battery with fast charging and, of course, Android OS. Additionally, some features from the 2009 model are expected to carry over, such as dedicated email, calendar and contacts keys, as well as the optical touchpad. The latter can be used as a fingerprint reader. It would also be nice if it was available for purchase in one or more of the original colors, such as Amethyst Purple, Rose Gold, or Topaz Brown.
The Nokia N95 is another classic Nokia smartphone that could have benefited from a new launch. One of its unique features is that you could slide it up to reveal the alphanumeric keyboard or down to access a set of media control buttons. A few years ago, slider smartphones came back into the spotlight when manufacturers looked for ways to make smartphones completely bezel-less, which would have been the perfect time for a refreshed Nokia N95.
A refreshed Nokia N95, featuring a bezel-less display that can slide down to reveal the hidden front-facing camera(s), would have been on par with the Xiaomi Mi MIX 3 and Samsung Galaxy A80 .
Nokia’s Communicator series was very popular during its glory days, and the Nokia E90 was the last model in the series. Featuring a clamshell design, Nokia Communicator smartphones looked like a regular phone (a screen and an alphanumeric keypad) on the front, but when opened they featured a large screen on one side and a QWERTY keyboard on the other, similar to that of a laptop.
A modern version of the Nokia E90 could be made in two ways. It could be a foldable smartphone like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 (currently available for $1,799 on Amazon) or adopt a design similar to the Microsoft Surface Duo 2 but with a slimmer form factor . However, instead of a screen on either side when open, the right side would house a QWERTY keyboard, allowing the device to be used as a laptop, just like the original. HMD Global could also add support for a stylus, so the device can be used to take notes or make doodles.
The Nokia E7 is the latest E series smartphone released by Nokia. It features a full-touch AMOLED display that users can slide up into landscape mode to access a backlit QWERTY keyboard. Unlike the Nokia E90 Communicator, you couldn’t adjust the screen angle on the Nokia E7. However, when opened, the hinge tilts the screen towards the user, like the newer models, the F(x)Tec Pro1-X.
For a modern remake, a bigger screen, bigger battery, and of course Android OS are some of the expected features. However, instead of sliding up to reveal a hidden keyboard, HMD Global could place gaming controls there, thus making this refreshed Nokia E7 a gaming smartphone instead of a business-oriented smartphone like the original .
Translator: Ninh Ngoc Duy – Editorial Assistant – 392227 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2008
