MWC 2023: Nokia unveils a new Android smartphone that you can fix yourself
Nokia was the buzz at Saturday’s MWC in Barcelona after they launched the Nokia G22 before the event. Yes, Nokia, in partnership with iFixit, has the tech community intrigued with their announcement of one of the first Android budget smartphones designed to allow users to repair the G22 in the comfort of their home by swapping out the battery in less than five minutes.
But don’t just get excited about the battery swap in under five minutes. The Nokia G22's internal design and removable back allow users to unscrew and exchange components, including the charging port and screen.
HMD Global Nokia phones manufacturer will provide “quick fix” repair guides for users and ensure that genuine parts are available via iFixit specialists for five years, above and beyond the affordable professional repair options offered.
Adam Ferguson, head of product marketing for HMD Global, stated, “People value long-lasting, quality devices, and they shouldn’t have to compromise on price to get them. The new Nokia G22 is purposefully built with a repairable design so you can keep it even longer.”
"And in order to be able to do that, sometimes you need to replace parts that go wrong, for example, a cracked screen; maybe you want an updated battery if the performance has slightly begun to fall off. That is why we’re doing it, and we’re making it as easy as possible for regular users".
The Nokia G22 features a fingerprint scanner, a 50-megapixel camera, a large battery, a 6.53-inch screen, and Android 12. It will support two major Android version upgrades and three years of monthly security updates. Nokia has even raised the bar with sustainability regarding the G22 with affordability and partially made of recycled plastic.
HMD Global aims to increase consumer desire for more repairable and longer-lasting devices. Following in pioneers' footsteps, such as Apple’s DIY repair programs but with a far more straightforward process, and the Dutch manufacturer Fairphone, but more affordable.
"We are definitely very hopeful for 2023 to be a more positive year for the markets. We, of course, know that many people have postponed the purchase of a new phone, and we hope that that’s going to be a Nokia phone, and we hope that’s going to happen in 2023," stated Lars Silberbauer, CMO at HMD Global.
HMD also aims to take its first steps towards manufacturing 5G devices in 2023 in Europe alongside several other budget smartphones. With little detail, there are talks about the reduced carbon footprint of locally sold devices and security enhancement with a smartphone for the security-conscious industry.
According to Jean-Francois Baril, co-founder and chief executive of HMD Global, “The Nokia brand has a proud history within the European market, and with this move, we are continuing to strengthen our position as the only major European smartphone provider.”
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“But don’t just get excited about the battery swap in under five minutes”
Bro – the ifixit guide itself, you know, the OFFICIAL one they made with ifixit, states 35min-1hour for the time estimate on how long the battery swap takes – there are multiple connectors and 12 screws involved – this is making a mockery.
Absolute fluff, no research done at all – it’s a joke.
So minus points to ghacks for that, and minus points to Nokia for not having ZERO screws and connectors for a battery swap (you know, how phones used to be only a few years ago).
Good! Now let’s hope this supports open source os.
In the previous six years, this has only intriguing phone. Assuming the bootloader is unlocked, any ROMS can be installed without the use of OEM tricks.