Nokia to cut jobs in multiple countries after Alcatel-Lucent deal, 5G shift

However, the company denied that the cuts would be related to the slower than expected launch of 5G technology.

Finnish telecommunication giant Nokia on Tuesday announced its plans to cut jobs, media reported.

Nokia gave 350 as a layoff target in Finland, and said the figures in France and Germany would be higher, but did not specify.

However, the company denied that the cuts would be related to the slower than expected launch of 5G technology, Xinhua news agency reported.

Instead, the aim is to make operations more efficient as the consolidation after the purchase of the French Alcatel-Lucent has been completed.

Tommi Uitto, director in charge of Nokia's operations in Finland, said the changes are "necessary". The cutbacks are part of 700-million-euro (about $798.7 million) savings announced in October 2018. Thereafter Marc Rouanne, one of the key directors, left the company.

In France, the General Confederation of Labour (CGT) accused Nokia on Tuesday of attempting to improve profitability through shifting work to countries where labour costs are lower than in France.

Finnish daily Helsingin Sanomat quoted the union as saying that Nokia has broken its 2016 promise to the then finance minister Emmanuel Macron that staff size at Alcatel-Lucent and Bell Labs would remain at 4,200 for two years.

CGT claimed that Nokia had also broken its pledge to employ 2,500 new staffers in research and development. Helsingin Sanomat economics writer Petri Sajari said the French unions could turn the Nokia cutbacks against President Macron.

Headquartered in Espoo, Finland, Nokia currently employs 100,000 people worldwide, 6,000 of them in Finland.

Business Standard

Nokia 3.1 Plus first impressions: A big-screen, dual-camera phone on budget

The phone is priced at Rs 11,499 for the base 16GB variant. It will go on sale only via offline channels starting October 19.

Nokia, the mobile phone brand licensed to Finnish start-up HMD Global, on October 11 launched the Nokia 3.1 Plus at Rs in India. The budget smartphone is the third Nokia-branded device to get a design and specification upgrade this year. The others are the Nokia 5.1 Plus (review) and the Nokia 6.1 Plus (review). The Nokia 3.1 Plus will be available in blue, white and baltic colour options and will come in two RAM and storage configurations – 2GB/16GB and 3GB/32GB. The phone is priced at Rs 11,499 for the 16GB variant. It will go on sale only via offline channels starting October 19.

Design and display

This is one area where the Nokia 3.1 Plus has improved significantly when compared with the second-generation Nokia 3-series smartphones. The phone sports a mammoth 6-inch screen of HD+ resolution covered under 2.5D curved glass.

Interestingly, the screen does not feature any notch, which gives it a distinct look and the modern 18:9 aspect ratio accentuates the overall outlook without compromising on the overall form factor.

The back has a unibody design with matte finish that gives it a good grip to hold and operate. Unlike the predecessor, the phone has a dual-camera module on the back that looks similar to the one seen in the Nokia 6.1 Plus, and a fingerprint sensor below it. The camera module and fingerprint rim are accentuated by a silver lining on their borders, improving the overall appeal of the otherwise regular look of the phone’s back.

Camera

The Nokia 3.1 Plus has a dual-camera module on the back, featuring a 13-megapixel primary sensor of f/2.0 aperture size and 1.12 micron pixel size, mated with 5MP depth-sensing lens of f/2.4 aperture size and 1.12 micron pixel size. There is an 8MP camera of f/2.2 aperture size on the front for selfies.

Technical details aside, the primary camera unit in the Nokia 3.1 Plus seems to be an improvement over the singular camera lens in the predecessor. The front camera also seems slow in processing information, resulting in blurred images. Though the output seems sub-optimal in the first impression, a detailed account on the camera performance would be reserved until we do a full review.

Key specifications

Display: 6-inch HD+ screen in 18:9 aspect ratio

Processor: MediaTek Helio P22, octacore processor with a maximum operating frequency of 2.0GHz

RAM and ROM: 2GB/16GB and 3GB/32GB

Camera: 13+5MP primary camera, 8MP front camera

Battery: 3,500 mAh

Accessories: 5V/2A charger, microUSB cable, headset

Business Standard

Nokia 6.1 Plus review: Sleek design, smooth performance at affordable price

The Nokia 6.1 Plus is one of the most balanced budget midrange smartphone. It ticks almost all the right boxes and shows some strength in all areas.

HMD Global, a Finnish mobile phone manufacturer behind Nokia-branded phones, on August 21 launched the Nokia 6.1 Plus edition in India.

 The Android One smartphone is the first Nokia offering to feature notch screen, along with dual camera module on the back and premium glass design. Priced at Rs 15,999, this edition is cheaper than its predecessor, the Nokia 6.1. In comparison to the predecessor, it also offers better hardware, premium design, bigger screen estate and enhanced camera modules.

Nokia 6.1 Plus design

Design wise, the Nokia 6.1 Plus looks plush in its glossy outlook. It features a glass-metal-glass design in a compact form factor, which is easy to hold and operate. The phone is light in weight, which makes it easy to use and carry around in hand or pocket. It is among a few smartphones to have a perfect body size, which is neither big nor small. Granular detailing in design such as silver accent lining around keys and fingerprint sensor also accentuates its overall premium appeal.

Nokia 6.1 Plus display

The phone sports a 5.8-inch fullHD+ notch-based screen stretched in 19:9 aspect ratio. The screen is covered with curved Gorilla Glass 3 for protection against accidental scratches. Though the protective glass is not from Corning’s latest breed, it is still sturdy and protects the screen surface from day to day damage from coins, keys and other pointed items.

In terms of display quality, it is a bright unit that makes it legible under bright sunny conditions. However, the contrast ratio and the colour output is not up to the mark. The black looks greyish and the colours show shift in contrast when looked from angles. At times, the touch above the screen also fails to recognise input. It could be a software glitch, but the failed attempt certainly diminishes the phone’s overall utility.

Nokia 6.1 Plus performance

The phone is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 system-on-chip (SoC), mated with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage, expandable up to 400GB using microSD card slot. The phone boots Android Oreo, and being an Android One smartphone, it will get the Android Pie soon. The phone runs stock Android with minor customisations to improve the user experience.

The user interface is sleek and the phone shows no sign of lag or slowing down. It manages multiple apps in background without force closing any, showing good RAM optimisation at software levels. The phone handles day-to-day operations such as browsing internet, watching videos, accessing social media platforms, messaging and calling with ease. It, however, shows sign of weakness while managing processor and graphic intensive apps such as games, video editing tools, video recording and playback, etc..

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Nokia 6.1 Plus to be Flipkart-exclusive; India launch set for August 21

The Nokia 6.1 Plus is an international variant of the Nokia X6, which is Nokia's first notch display-based smartphone currently available only in China

HMD Global, an official licensee of Nokia-branded phones, is hosting a launch event in India on August 21 where the Finnish company is expected to launch the Nokia 6.1 Plus. The smartphone is an international variant of the Nokia X6, which is Nokia’s first notch display-based smartphone currently available only in China. Before the launch, the company has posted a teaser image on Flipkart, confirming exclusive availability on home-grown e-commerce platform.

Like other Nokia-branded smartphones, the Nokia 6.1 Plus would be an Android One device to boot stock Android Oreo 8.1 operating system out of the box. The phone would also come bundled with free unlimited storage on Google Drive for photos. In terms of specifications, the Nokia 6.1 Plus is expected to be exactly the same as the Nokia X6. It would sport a 5.8-inch fullHD+ screen stretched in 19:9 aspect ratio. The screen would sport a cut-out area on the top (notch) to accommodate the front camera, earpiece and a couple of sensors.

ALSO READ: 2018 edition of Nokia 2, 3 and 5 announced: Here's what has changed

In terms of imaging, Nokia 6.1 Plus would sport a dual camera set-up on the back. The rear camera module would feature a 16-megapixel primary sensor of f/2.0 aperture, mated with a 5MP depth-sensing lens of f/2.2 aperture and 1.2-micron pixel size. On the front, there would be a 16MP selfie camera of f/2.0 aperture. Both the rear and front cameras in Nokia 6.1 would support artificial intelligence-based algorithm selection, camera enhancements and HDR mode.

The Nokia X6 comes in two RAM and storage configurations i.e. 4GB and 6GB of RAM, and 32GB and 64GB of internal storage, respectively. However, the Indian model is expected to get only the 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage variant, paired with Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 system-on-chip (SoC). The dual-SIM phone would also feature a microSD card slot for memory expansion up to 256GB. The phone would be powered by a 3,060 mAh battery, which would support Quick Charge 3.0 technology.

The current generation Nokia 6-series device (Nokia 6.1) is priced at around Rs 18,000 in India. Therefore, the Nokia 6.1 Plus is expected to get a price tag in between Rs 15,000 and Rs 20,000.

Article Source BS

HMD Global may launch Nokia 6.1 Plus with notch screen in India on Aug 21

The Nokia 6.1 Plus is an international version of the Nokia X6, which is currently available only in China.

HMD Global, an official licensee of Nokia-branded phones, is hosting an event in India on August 21 where the Finnish company is expected to launch its first notch screen-based smartphone, the Nokia 6.1 Plus. The Nokia 6.1 Plus is an international version of the Nokia X6, which is currently available only in China. Though the phone would have similar design and specifications, it would also come preloaded with Google apps such as Maps, Play Store, Gmail, Google search, etc. that are not there in the Chinese version.

In terms of specifications, the Google Android One-based smartphone would sport a 5.8-inch fullHD+ screen stretched in 19:9 aspect ratio. The screen would sport a cut-out area on the top (notch) to accommodate the front camera, earpiece and a couple of sensors. The Nokia 6.1 Plus comes in two RAM and storage configurations i.e. 4GB and 6GB of RAM, and 32GB and 64GB of internal storage, respectively. However, the Indian model is expected to get 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage, paired with Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 system-on-chip (SoC). The dual-SIM phone would also feature a microSD card slot for memory expansion up to 256GB. The Nokia 6.1 Plus would boot latest version of Android Oreo out of the box. It would be powered by a 3,060 mAh battery, which would support Quick Charge 3.0 technology.

In terms of imaging, Nokia 6.1 Plus would sport a dual camera set-up on the back. The rear camera module would feature a 16-megapixel primary sensor of f/2.0 aperture, mated with a 5MP depth-sensing lens of f/2.2 aperture and 1.2-micron pixel size. On the front, there would be a 16MP selfie camera of f/2.0 aperture. Both the rear and front cameras in Nokia 6.1 would support artificial intelligence-based algorithm selection, camera enhancements and HDR mode.

In China, the Nokia X6 costs CNY 1,299 for the base model, which translates roughly to Rs 13,300 in Indian currency. However, the current generation Nokia 6-series device (Nokia 6.1) is priced at around Rs 18,000 in India. Therefore, the Nokia 6.1 Plus is expected to get a price tag in between Rs 15,000 and Rs 20,000 bracket.

Article Source BS

HMD Global to launch notch screen-based Nokia 6.1 Plus in India: Know more

The Nokia 6.1 Plus is a global variant of the Nokia X6, which is HMD Global's first notch screen-based smartphone that was launched in China in May.

HMD Global, an official licensee of Nokia-branded phones, recently announced the launch of its first notch screen-based smartphone -- the Nokia X6 -- outside China. Named Nokia 6.1 Plus for international markets, the phone’s user manual with network SAR information in compliance with India's telecom regulatory body was recently leaked online, confirming that the phone is set to launch in India soon.

In terms of design and features, Nokia 6.1 Plus is expected to be similar to Nokia X6, which is currently available only in China. However, Nokia 6.1 Plus would come with the Google apps pre-installed and Android One promise, which is a usual case for any Nokia-branded smartphone aimed at international markets.

Speaking of specifications, Nokia 6.1 Plus would sport a 5.8-inch fullHD+ screen stretched in 19:9 aspect ratio. The screen would sport a cut-out area on the top (notch) to accommodate the front camera, earpiece and a couple of sensors. Nokia X6 comes in two RAM and storage configurations i.e. 4GB and 6GB of RAM, and 32GB and 64GB of internal storage, respectively. However, the Indian model is expected to get 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage, paired with Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 system-on-chip (SoC). The dual-SIM phone would also feature a microSD card slot for memory expansion up to 256GB. Nokia 6.1 Plus would boot latest version of Android Oreo out of the box. It would be powered by a 3,060 mAh battery, which would support Quick Charge 3.0 technology.

In terms of imaging, Nokia 6.1 Plus would sport a dual camera set-up on the back. The rear camera module would feature a 16-megapixel primary sensor of f/2.0 aperture, mated with a 5MP depth-sensing lens of f/2.2 aperture and 1.2-micron pixel size. On the front, there would be a 16MP selfie camera of f/2.0 aperture. Both the rear and front cameras in Nokia 6.1 would support artificial intelligence-based algorithm selection, camera enhancements and HDR mode.

In China, Nokia X6 costs CNY 1,299 for the base model, which translates to Rs 13,300 in Indian currency. However, the current generation Nokia 6-series device (Nokia 6.1) is priced at around Rs 18,000 in India. Therefore, Nokia 6.1 Plus is expected to be priced between Rs 15,000 and Rs 20000 price bracket.

Article Source BS

Nokia X6: HMD Global to launch its first notch-based phone in India soon

The Nokia X6 got temporarily listed on Nokia's international portal, and the phone's support page also went live in India, confirming that the phone would soon be launched in India.

Nokia, a Finnish mobile phone brand owned by HMD Global, is gearing up to launch in India its first notch screen-based smartphone – the Nokia X6. Though the smartphone is currently available only in China at CNY 1,299 (around Rs 13,300), the company had temporarily listed the product page on its official international portal. Interestingly, the phone’s support page also went live in India, confirming that the phone would soon be launched in India.



The Nokia X6 is a budget smartphone with midrange specifications and premium features. The phone sports 5.8-inch fullHD+ screen stretched in 19:9 aspect ratio. There screen sports a cut out area on the top (notch) that accommodates the front camera, earpiece and couple of sensors. The phone is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 system-on-chip (SoC), paired with either 4GB or 6GB of RAM and 32 GB or 64GB of internal storage, respectively. The dual-SIM phone comes with microSD card slot for memory expansion up to 256GB.



In terms of imaging, the Nokia X6 sports a dual camera set-up on the back. The rear camera module features a 16-megapixel primary sensor of f/2.0 aperture mated with a 5MP depth-sensing lens of f/2.2 aperture and 1.2-micron pixel size. On the front, there is a 16MP selfie camera of f/2.0 aperture. Both the rear and front cameras in the Nokia X6 support artificial intelligence-based algorithm selection, camera enhancements and HDR mode.




The Nokia X6 boots Android Oreo out of the box and comes with Android One guarantee, which assures timely Android updates for two years, along with monthly security updates from Google. Powering the phone is a 3,060 mAh battery, which takes the charge from USB type-C port. The phone supports Quick Charge 3.0 technology, which assures 50 per cent charge in 30 minutes.