Nokia 7.1 With HDR Display, Zeiss Optics, Snapdragon 636 SoC Launched: Price, Specifications, Features

Nokia 7.1 is the latest offering from Nokia brand licensee HMD Global. Successor to last year’s Nokia 7, the Nokia 7.1 was launched at an event in London on Thursday. Key highlights of the smartphone include a 19:9 PureDisplay with HDR support a notch up top, a Snapdragon 636 SoC, fast charging USB Type-C, dual rear camera setup with Zeiss optics, and an Android Pie upgrade coming next month. The Nokia 7.1 is also part of the Android Enterprise Recommended range, which ensures that the phone will receive monthly security updates within 90 days of release, for a minimum of three years.

Nokia 7.1 price and release date

Nokia 7.1 price ranges from EUR 299 (roughly Rs. 24,400) to EUR 349 (roughly Rs. 29,500), depending on the region. The phone will be sold in Gloss Midnight Blue and Gloss Steel colour options, across global markets, starting October this year. India pricing and availability will be announced later.

The company also announced the launch of two new audio accessories with the Nokia 7.1 - the Nokia True Wireless Earbuds and the Nokia Pro Wireless Earphones. The former comes with up to 3.5 hours play time and a charging case with three times the charge. The latter sports a neckband with up to 10 hours of playback time.

Nokia 7.1 specifications

The dual-SIM (Nano) Nokia 7.1 runs Android Oreo, based on the Android One programme, with an upgrade to Android 9.0 Pie slated for next month. It sports a 5.84-inch full-HD+ (1080x2280 pixels) PureDisplay panel with a 19:9 aspect ratio, HDR10 support, and Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection. The handset is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 SoC, paired with 3GB/ 4GB of RAM and 32GB/ 64GB of inbuilt storage.

In terms of optics, the Nokia 7.1 bears a vertically aligned pair of dual rear camera setup that consists of a 12-megapixel primary sensor, with autofocus and f/1.8 aperture, and a 5-megapixel secondary sensor with fixed focus and f/2.4 aperture. The company is also touting two-phase detection and Zeiss optics for the rear camera setup, apart from EIS. On the front, the handset sports an 8-megapixel fixed focus sensor with f/2.0 aperture and 84-degree field-of-view. There is a 3,060mAh non-removable battery under the hood with 18W fast charging, delivering 50 percent charge in 30 minutes.

Connectivity options on the Nokia 7.1 include 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth v5.0, GPS/ A-GPS, GLONASS, NFC, USB Type-C, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Sensors onboard the smartphone include accelerometer, ambient light sensor, electronic compass, gyroscope, proximity sensor, and a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor. Dimensions are 149.7x71.19x7.99mm and weight is 159 grams.

The Nokia 7.1's dual rear cameras and Zeiss branding can be seen

Juho Sarvikas, Chief Product Officer, HMD Global commented on the launch, "We believe the best camera is the one you carry with you, so we’ve designed a new imaging experience powered by ZEISS Optics, featuring rapid auto focus thanks to the two-phase detection technology to capture your own incredible HDR photography. We are excited to deliver a unique, premium experience in collaboration with best in class partners to deliver a standout smartphone at great value."

Sarvikas also touted the Nokia 7.1's real-time SDR to HDR conversion using a 16-bit engine, letting users experience "HDR quality entertainment, even when the content is not." The smartphone is built out of 6000 series aluminium CNC machined frame and a die cast metal centre