HMD Global's upcoming Nokia 8.1 smartphone is now listed on the official AR Core supported device list which is managed by Google. The AR Core supported device list usually gets updated every month and it's that time of the month again. Alongside the Nokia 8.1, other smartphones released in recent times such as OnePlus 6T, Huawei Mate 20X, Sony Xperia XZ3, Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 and so on also get listed on the website. But all these phones were officially launched by the manufacturers, but the unannounced phone is the Nokia 8.1. If we believe the rumours, HMD Global is expected to unveil the Nokia X7 as Nokia 8.1 in global markets. In the past, we have seen the Nokia 6.1 Plus making the AR Core supported devices list two weeks ahead of the official launch, so it's entirely possible that the Nokia 8.1's launch is around the corner.
Nokia 8.1: This Could Be the Global Version of Nokia X7
For the uninitiated, HMD Global, the Finnish upstart company recently launched the Nokia X7 smartphone in China, further extending its X series of phones. When the device got launched, everyone assumed that the X7 would make into global markets as Nokia 7.1 Plus because the Nokia X5 and X6 were launched as Nokia 5.1 Plus and Nokia 6.1 Plus outside China. But that seems to be not the case with Nokia X7 as the company will be bringing to other markets as Nokia 8.1. At the same time, HMD will be converting the Nokia 8 series into an upper mid-range lineup.
So far, HMD launched two flagship smartphones under the Nokia 8 series- Nokia 8 and the Nokia 8 Sirocco. But very soon, the Nokia 9 is expected to be the company's flagship lineup, while the Nokia 8 series will be converted to an upper mid-range one. If we assume the Indian market, the Nokia 9 will be priced between Rs 45,000 to Rs 50,000, followed by the Nokia 8.1 around Rs 35,000 price point and below Rs 30,000, we already have the likes of Nokia 7 Plus, upcoming Nokia 7.1, Nokia 6.1 Plus and so on.
Nokia 8.1 Already Benchmarked on Geekbench
A few days ago, the Nokia 8.1 was spotted on the popular benchmarking portal, Geekbench. The benchmark report revealed that HMD Global would be launching the Nokia 8.1 with Snapdragon 710 SoC which is the same chipset that powered Nokia X7 in China. So here's yet another evidence that the Nokia 8.1 is the same Nokia X7 for global markets.
Nokia 8.1: Specifications and Features
Since the Nokia X7 has already gone official in China, we have the complete spec-sheet of the handset. The Nokia 8.1 aka Nokia X7 sports a 6.18-inch Full HD+ display on the front with the company Pure Display technology. Under the hood, it has the Qualcomm Snapdragon 710 chipset, clubbed with 4GB/6GB of RAM and up to 128GB of internal storage. It rocks dual rear cameras of 12MP+13MP along with a single 20MP front-facing camera. The phone is backed by a 3500mAh battery and will run Android 9 Pie out of the box.
Nokia 8.1: India Launch Details
The Nokia 8.1 has the Qualcomm Snapdragon 710 chipset and Qualcomm is yet to reveal chipset's availability outside of China. That said, we may not see the Nokia 8.1 launching in India this year. But the phone is expected to go official in some countries like Taiwan, Japan and other European markets as the first Snapdragon 710 SoC device by the end of this year.
In other news, HMD Global might launch the Nokia 7.1 in India this month as a bumped up version of Nokia 6.1 Plus. The launch is expected to take place at the end of this month and the phone could be exclusive to offline market, unlike the Nokia 6.1 Plus and Nokia 5.1 Plus which are exclusively available via Flipkart.
