HMD’s 2023 Impact Report Emphasizes Affordability and Recyclability
HMD published its impact report for 2023. You can download the colorful and well-crafted document from their website. The report covers corporate social responsibility and sustainability. Intrigued by these topics, I searched for the word “affordable” in the document. This particular word appears 17 times, which, although not frequent, speaks volumes about HMD’s future direction.
As you may have noticed, HMD’s main goal remains unchanged despite their new business strategy. The company continues to focus on creating phones that are recyclable, repairable, enjoyable, and above all, affordable. HMD recently launched the Pulse and its variations. While the hardware specs of these phones are not impressive, with an unremarkable chipset and mediocre camera performance, the market will see many affordable phones from HMD.
The lineup includes the Pulse, Pulse+, Pulse Pro, and Vibe, with more to come. An Indian version of the Pulse is arriving as the Arrow, with a notable change. The initial reaction to the mention of UNISOC processors is often negative. the same as M3 drivers see when opening the door (Ew, Brother, Ew! What’s That?).
However, it seems HMD is shifting tactics by using a different processor manufacturer for their new affordable devices. While it’s unclear whether these devices will replace the Pulse series or be available in specific markets, the inclusion of Snapdragon processors is a promising improvement over UNISOC. Nevertheless, there is still a proliferation of similar-looking devices with only slight hardware differences.
HMD recently revealed the specs for their new affordable phone, the “Elektra,” which resembles the recently leaked Ridge:
- IPS LCD, 90Hz
- 50MP AI (Main)
- Snapdragon 685 4G
- 8GB RAM
- 5,000mAh battery
Judging by the appearance of the HMD Vibe, which is a US-exclusive device, the Elektra might also be aimed at the US market. This does not necessarily mean UNISOC processors will be abandoned. Although the Snapdragon 685 isn’t the best processor on the market, it certainly sounds more powerful than UNISOC.
I still do hope that many of these affordable devices will be cancelled and that a good midranger will be launched instead and distributed globally.
Special thanks to Luke and others for the tips that helped create this post.
