HMD Global’s CEO Announces Plans To Launch A New Brand

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For the last six years, HMD Global has produced several Nokia-branded smartphones in the global market. Now, the company plans to set foot in the smartphone market independently. HMD Global’s CEO, Jean-Francois Baril, in a post on LinkedIn, expressed the company’s plans to expand its current portfolio and create a separate brand that will co-exist with Nokia.

Foxconn To Manufacture HMD-Branded Smartphones

In the LinkedIn post, Baril writes about establishing an “original HMD brand.” He also notes that the company is the fastest-growing 5G smartphone manufacturer year after year. HMD Global plans to collaborate with “exciting new partners” to release a new lineup of smartphones. However, the announcement is all we have now, as the company hasn’t revealed any information about the smartphone models it plans to release.

Formed in 2016, HMD Global has held the rights to Nokia-branded smartphones for the last six years. Interestingly, the owner of HMD Global, Terry Gou, is also the founder of Foxconn, which has been manufacturing the Nokia phones for quite some time. Hence, there’s a good chance that Foxconn will also make HMD-branded phones or other possible products.

Nokia G42 5G
Nokia G42 5G

In the last few years, Nokia has focussed on entry-level to mid-tier smartphones, and there’s no reason why HMD won’t follow suit. HMD Global recently released the Nokia G42, a budget 5G smartphone, for Rs. 12,999 in India. The device runs on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 480+ chipset with a 5G model, has a large 6.56-inch LCF screen that supports 90Hz refresh rate, and a 5,000 mAh battery that supports 20W wired charging.

Concluding his post, Baril writes that HMD is looking forward to delivering high-quality, affordable mobile devices to consumers around the world. While it’s an excellent opportunity for the company to establish its identity, it could also imply that it will reduce its efforts toward releasing Nokia-branded devices.

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Shikhar MehrotraShikhar Mehrotra
Shikhar Mehrotra is a seasoned technology writer and reviewer with over five years of experience covering consumer tech across India and global markets. At Smartprix, he has authored more than 1,700 articles, including news stories, features, comparisons, and product reviews spanning automobiles, smartphones, chipsets, wearables, laptops, home appliances, and operating systems. Shikhar has reviewed flagship devices such as the iPhone 16, Galaxy S25+, and Sennheiser HD 505 Open-Ear headphones. He also contributes regularly to Smartprix’s growing automotive section.

With a deep understanding of both iOS and Android ecosystems, Shikhar specializes in daily tech news, how-to explainers, product comparisons, and in-depth reviews. His DSLR photography in product reviews is recognized as among the best on the team.

Before joining Smartprix, Shikhar wrote for leading publications including Forbes Advisor India, Republic World, and ScreenRant. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Mass Communication from Amity University, Lucknow.

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