HMD launches Nokia 8 flagship smartphone with ‘bothie’ camera gimmick

HMD’s efforts to exploit lingering affection for the Nokia smartphone brand have finally resulted in a flagship device – the Nokia 8.

In this era of identikit smartphones HMD’s first job was to make sure there were no glaring omissions in terms of spec and design. It seems to have achieved that with a Snapdragon 835, 5.3-inch QHD screen, 64 GB storage with micro SD slot and twin 13 MP Zeiss cameras. The industrial design seems fine, although there’s less of an emphasis on minimizing the bezel than seen on some other flagship smartphones.

The best attempt at differentiation seems to be a camera feature HMD is calling the ‘bothie’, which enables split screen images and video to be captured using the front and rear cameras simultaneously. This would presumably be especially handy for YouTubers looking to film their reactions to thins like computer games.

“We know that fans are creating and sharing live content more than ever before, with millions of photos and videos shared every minute on social media,” said Juho Sarvikas, Chief Product Officer of HMD. “People are inspired by the content they consume and are looking for new ways to create their own. It’s these people who have inspired us to craft a flagship smartphone which perfectly balances premium design, an outstanding experience and powerful performance.”

The Nokia 8 will roll out globally during September, costing around $700. Online response has been muted, with reviews concluding the device is adequate rather than exceptional and that it’s likely to struggle against similarly specced phones like the OnePlus 5 that are considerably cheaper. We will get a good sense of the residual value in the Nokia smartphone brand by the end of the year.