Does the Nokia 2.2 fit in contemporary universe of budget smartphones?

At an event in Delhi, HMD Global has announced its third handset of the year for the Indian market. The Nokia 2.2 comes with specifications that are expected for Rs 6,999 handset as it comes with a 5.7-inch HD+ display, a single rear shooter, a U-shaped notch and a MediaTek Helio A22 processor. On paper, these specifications sound good enough; however, when compared to its Chinese counterparts, even the enticement of an Android One platform doesn’t woo us the way the likes of Redmi, Realme and Infinix are able to offer.

The Infinix S4 has just gone on sale on Flipkart and it costs Rs 8,999 and it can be argued that the Nokia 2.2 comes with a better price tag. However, if you consider the features on offer with the S4, the Infinix handset is an absolute steal. For just Rs 2,000 more you get an option with triple rear camera setup and a 32MP up front on a larger display. Alternatively, the Redmi 7 from Xiaomi comes with a 6.26-inch HD+ display, a 4000mAh battery, two rear cameras and a Snapdragon 632 SoC which can be argued is a better chipset than the MediaTek one fitted on the Nokia 2.2.

If the price is a concern, then Realme has the C2 and this handset comes for just Rs 5,999 and in the process, undercuts the Nokia 2.2. by a whole Rs 1,000. This handset features a larger 6.1-inch display, a 4000mAh battery, and a dual rear camera setup. This handset also manages to put the Nokia handset to shame where specifications are concerned.

The only advantage the Nokia 2.2 has over each and every smartphone in this budget segment is that it runs on the Android One platform and thus making it not just intuitive but also will be upgradable to Android Q once it rolls out. For some, this may be a significant advantage over the competition and this is a legitimate reason why you should go in for this smartphone.

The Nokia 2.2 comes with a 5.7-inch HD+ display and features a ratio of 19:9. The display comes with a U-shaped cutout to make way for the 5MP front-facing camera. Under the hood, you get a MediaTek Helio A22 processor that’s clocked a 2GHz. The handset comes in two variants —2GB/16GB and 3GB/32GB. The base variant retails for Rs 6,999 while the top-end costs Rs 7,999. This is an introductory price and after June 30, the 2GB option will cost Rs 7,699 and the 3GB version will be priced at Rs 8,699. There is a single 13MP rear snapper with an F/2.2 aperture and paired with an LED flash. And lastly, there is a 3000mAh battery keeping the handset alive.

If this was a 2018 handset, these specifications would have just about sufficed but considering that Chinese manufacturers are adding top-notch specifications in prices that are highly competitive, this makes the Nokia’s 2.2 face some seriously tough competition.