HMD Vibe
The First HMD-Branded Phone for the US Now Available
The HMD Vibe is now available to buy unlocked. HMD is selling it directly on its web site. HMD has long made Nokia-branded phones, but is now branching out to offer its own brand as well as others. For $150, the HMD Vibe offers a 6.56" HD+ display with 90 Hz refresh, 13 megapixel camera, 4,000 mAh battery, Snapdragon 680 chip, 6 GB RAM, and 128 GB of storage (expandable). It will also be sold by TracFone.
HMD Moving Beyond Nokia with its Own Brand
HMD, maker of Nokia-branded phones, is launching a new line of phones under its own HMD brand. This comes as the company expands into other brand partnerships (including Barbie and Heineken) as well as white-label phones, while continuing to make Nokia-branded phones. In the US, the first HMD-branded phone will be the HMD Vibe (shown), an entry-level 4G Android phone for prepaid brands (like TracFone). It will have a 6.56" HD+ display with 90 Hz refresh, 13 megapixel camera, 4,000 mAh battery, Snapdragon 680 chip, 6 GB RAM, and 128 GB of storage (expandable). The Vibe is also available unlocked for $149. The new HMD Pulse lineup will come first to other parts of the world, and includes the Pulse, Pulse+, and Pulse Pro. All three are affordable and repairable Android smartphones. The Pulse Pro has 50 megapixel cameras on both the front and back. Its unusually powerful selfie camera also supports slow motion video and responds to a number of unique gestures for hands-free control. HMD claims these are the most affordable repairable phones in the world.