Nokia Mobile is present at CES 2023
CES is definitely not a hotspot for cell phone announcements like MWC is, but this event usually brings some new things specifically for the US market. Nokia Mobile will be back at CES (actually HMD America Inc.), and the Finns can be found in Suite 35-310 on Floor 35. There are no other smartphone manufacturers around there, so you can take your time to look at the new products without any distractions.
Nokia Mobile has announced some affordable entry-level phones exclusively for the U.S. market at last year’s CES, and some of those phones, like the G400, heralded the big design changes coming to Nokia’s global portfolio. I doubt there will be a similar radical design change this year, but a new successor to the rugged Nokia XR20 could be announced. There has been some information about the Nokia Sentry phone, a ruggedized version of the G60/X30, which I think is a good base for this type of phone. The XR20 is a good device, but a better processor and camera are needed to make this concept the perfect Nokia mid-range phone.
I think a rugged X30 could be just that. Imagine an X30 with wireless charging, 3.5mm audio jack, and an extra hardware button that serves as a shortcut to launch some apps… Indeed, the Nokia X30 5G looks like it even now with its transparent casing, but the only thing I miss is a wireless charging option.
Anyway, expect at least five new phones and some new audio accessories at CES 2023. There are more applications for new phone designs on the EUIPO page, but some are likely reserved for the phones to be unveiled at MWC 2023.
Some competitors will be there at CES, but not a lot of them will be showing new phones. Samsung isn’t announcing its FE version, and TCL could be the only true competitor with a range of affordable smartphones.
