HMD Global may drop the Nokia trademark from its forthcoming smartphones in favor of the lesser-known HMD brand.
HMD has produced a new brand video (below) on its website to reintroduce the company, but the movie makes no mention of Nokia, even when referring to “nostalgic dumbphones,” which is most likely referring to the company’s line of classic Nokia-inspired handsets.
The company’s website has also been updated and now has less Nokia branding, with the exception of a notice at the top of the page that states, “We build Nokia phones. You’re in the right spot,” demonstrating HMD’s recognition of consumers’ potential lack of brand awareness and ownership of the Nokia brand, at least in the mobile phone market.
Although this rebranding could be interpreted as the end of the Nokia name in the phone market, HMD rejects this, noting in a separate blog post that it will continue to make phones under the Nokia name.
“You have undoubtedly noticed some changes around here. We’re still making Nokia smartphones and “dumbphones,” but we’re gearing up to provide you even more, including original HMD devices and phones from new collaborations.” There were no new gadgets or partnerships disclosed in the post, and all of the devices listed on the HMD website remain Nokia-branded.
HMD also confirmed that Nokia devices will still receive support through warranty periods, as well as security and software updates.
The History of Nokia
Nokia was once a titan in the phone industry, back in 1999, Nokia’s revenue surpassed 31 billion Euros thanks to the success of phones like the Nokia 3310 and Nokia 8210. However, by the 2010s, Nokia was losing market share to Apple, Samsung, and the growing smartphone market. Microsoft acquired the company in 2013, but it was eventually sold to the Finnish company HMD in 2016, with HMD releasing all future devices.
Most recently, Nokia has been in the news for a legal disagreement with OnePlus’ sibling company Oppo over patent licensing of Nokia’s 5G technology, which resulted in a temporary ban on Oppo selling its handsets in Europe before being lifted.
Many older consumers associate the Nokia brand with nostalgia, owing to its success in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Many people’s first introduction to mobile phones was through Nokia’s devices, thus HMD’s decision to further bury the Nokia name in today’s mobile market may harm brand recognition in the future.
