M-KOPA X1 coming with HMD’s branding
The model codes for HMD’s first phone, “TA-1585” and “N159V,” have been revealed in the GSMA IMEI database. These model codes are associated with HMD-branded phones, and there’s a possibility that “N159V” is intended for the US market.
The EU declaration of conformity also confirmed the phone’s existence and hinted at the potential inclusion of quick fixability options. However, both documents provided limited information about the device.
The new info
Additional details can be found in an online user manual released by HMD. The manual includes drawings of a phone with the “TA-1585” model code, indicating that it may be designed by HMD Global for M-Kopa, a Kenyan company offering essential products and financial services in Africa.
Within the manual, you can see the phone featuring the M-Kopa logo on the back and the “Designed by HMD” logo below it. Based on these images, it appears that the device could be a rebranded version of the Nokia C32 smartphone already on the market, and it’s referred to as “M-KOPA X1” in the user manual.
What comes next?
This suggests that HMD Global might offer its previously designed phones under the “Designed by HMD” branding to third-party companies. Whether the Nokia brand will undergo similar treatment in the future remains uncertain. HMD has stated that their phones will coexist with Nokia-branded ones, and it’s likely that older designs will be slightly modified to incorporate HMD branding, while more popular Nokia-branded phones will receive new designs.
In any case, the new phone has not been officially released yet, so we’ll need to wait a bit longer for further details, which should become available in the coming weeks.
