HMD Global unveiled its range of new Nokia devices last year, aimed squarely at Android fans seeking affordable smartphones with great support.

The company unveiled a number of phones with varying specifications and prices – from the Android Go Nokia 1 to the powerful Nokia 8.

Of this line-up, the Nokia 7 and Nokia 8 were highlights due to their high-end specifications, affordable prices, and great support for OS and security updates.

Nokia’s devices are part of Google’s Android One programme, which means they are guaranteed to receive software and security updates for a set period of time following their launch.

They will also receive Android OS updates sooner than other smartphones, as the version of Android they run is free of many manufacturer-implemented customisations.

Local availability

MyBroadband recently noticed that the Nokia 7 and Nokia 8 devices were not listed at any South African retailers, though.

The Nokia 7 Plus and Nokia 8 Sirocco are available from a number of local stores – for R6,299 and R10,999 respectively – but not their predecessors.

The Nokia 8 was launched in South Africa last year and was available through Vodacom at a recommended retail price of R9,499.

To find out more, MyBroadband asked HMD Global whether its Nokia 7 and Nokia 8 devices were available locally.

HMD Global responds

HMD Global told MyBroadband that it never sold the standard Nokia 7 smartphone in South Africa, only launching the Nokia 7 Plus locally.

“The Nokia 7 Plus was launched in late April and is available across various channels,” HMD Global said.

The company confirmed it launched the Nokia 8 locally in September 2017, and that there is still some stock available through Vodacom stores.

However, HMD Global noted that Vodacom is transitioning to the newer Nokia 8 Sirocco in its product range.