Just a few days ago, HMD Global launched the Nokia 2.3 entry-level smartphone with basic specifications on board. The Nokia 2.3 comes as a successor to the Nokia 2.2 which is now selling at a starting price of Rs 5,999. Now, HMD Global is teasing the entry-level smartphone's launch in India and it will replace the Nokia 2.2. But the real question is- will the Nokia 2.3 take on the Xiaomi Redmi 8A which is currently the best entry-level smartphone in India. At Rs 6,499, the Redmi 8A offers 5000mAh battery, 18W fast charging support, 12MP rear camera and a big display. Nokia 2.3 also has a lot going for it- stock Android 9 Pie, 4000mAh battery and dual rear cameras, but the pricing would be very crucial for HMD Global to succeed and keep the Nokia brand name going forward.
Nokia 2.3 India Launch Soon: Can it Beat the Xiaomi Redmi 8A
Diving into the specifications of the Nokia 2.3, it sports a 6.2-inch HD+ screen with 19:9 aspect ratio and teardrop notch on top. Underneath, it's powered by the MediaTek Helio A22 SoC, paired with up to 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage. HMD Global may launch the device in two variants in India- 2GB+16GB and 3GB+32GB. The phone also has a dedicated microSD card slot for storage expansion up to 400GB.
Similar to other Nokia smartphones released in 2019, the Nokia 2.3 also has a dedicated hardware key on the left side which allows users to access Google Assistant. Being an Android One smartphone, the Nokia 2.3 comes with a stock version of Android 9 Pie out of the box. It will also receive Android 10 update in the coming weeks or in the first week of 2020. HMD Global already pushed Android 10 update to three smartphones- Nokia 8.1, Nokia 9 PureView and the Nokia 7.1.
The Nokia 2.3 sports dual cameras on the rear side; A 13MP primary rear camera works in tandem with a 2MP depth sensor. The handset is armed with a 4000mAh battery and there's no support for fast charging as well.
Comparing the Nokia 2.3 with the Xiaomi Redmi 8A, the latter offers way better specs on paper. The Redmi 8A has a 6.22-inch HD+ display with Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection on top. It's powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 439 chipset and comes in two configurations- 2GB+32GB and 3GB+32GB. The Redmi 8A also features a dedicated microSD card slot for storage expansion and it runs MIUI 11-based on Android 9 Pie. Xiaomi may release Android 10 update to the Redmi 8A early in 2020. The Redmi 8A is backed by a 5000mAh battery and has 18W fast charging support, but it does not ship with a fast charger inside the retail box. The Redmi 8A features a single 12MP sensor on the back along with an 8MP shooter on the front.
Nokia 2.3: Expected Pricing in India
Similar to the Nokia 2.2, HMD Global may launch two variants of the Nokia 2.3 in India. In other markets, the Nokia 2.3 is available in 2GB+16GB and 2GB+32GB models, but we're expected the brand to sell the Nokia 2.3 in 2GB+16GB and 3GB+32GB storage models in the country. The Nokia 2.3's base variant with 2GB+16GB of storage may start at Rs 5,999 in the country, whereas the 3GB+32GB variant could retail for Rs 6,999. These are the expected prices of Nokia 2.3 and the official prices will be announced very soon as the company is still teasing the handset's India launch.
