Nokia 8.1 will arrive in Australia from 21 February
Nokia's latest phone carries its premium branding, but it sits firmly in the mid-range space.
HMD Global, the company that currently holds the rights to release phones under the Nokia branding has announced its latest handset to hit Australia. Like much of the reborn Nokia's offerings, it's a value-centric phone.
Oddly, though, while the Nokia 8.1 name suggests that it's a follow-up to the flagship Nokia 8 and Nokia 8 Sirocco devices, it's instead a more moderately priced and specified handset.
Nokia 8 Sirocco
Nokia 8 Sirocco
Nokia's updated flagship phone
The Nokia 8 Sirocco takes the design of the Nokia 8 and smooths it with curved edges, improved camera and the simplicity of Android One.
The Nokia 8.1 runs on a Snapdragon 710 processor with 4GB RAM and 64GB onboard storage, supplemented, if you wish, with up to 400GB of microSD expansion. The display is a 6.18 inch FHD+ LCD, with dual 12MP/13MP rear sensors and a front facing 20MP selfie camera.
In line with Nokia's other Android phones, the Nokia 8.1 is an Android One phone, which means that, aside from the camera app, it's essentially "pure" Android, with the promise of up to two year's worth of OS updates. The Nokia 8.1 will launch in Australia with Android 9 ("Pie") on board in either Blue/Silver and Steel/Copper finishes.It will go on sale officially through JB Hi-Fi and Officeworks on 21 February for $699 outright. It's expected that Nokia will launch a new range of handsets at MWC 19 in the following week, including the high-end Nokia 9 Pureview.
