Nokia 1 release date, specs leak: Rumored first Android Go from HMD Global to be out this March

Nokia headquarters in Espoo, FinlandReuters/Vesa Moilanen

Following HMD Global's launch of mid-range and high-end smartphones under the revitalized Nokia brand, the Finnish tech firm is rumored to release an entry-level handset this 2018. In fact, the smartphone in question, dubbed as the Nokia 1, is expected to arrive in the market as early as March. The leaked photos of the device have already surfaced online, giving the public an idea on what the Nokia's first Android Go smartphone would look like.

The first render leaks of the Nokia 1 has been spotted on the Chinese media site Baidu, which reveal only the rear panel of the entry-level smartphone. The back-positioned camera of the device is also seen, although the exact features of the snapper is not indicated in the photos. Nevertheless, the live images of the Nokia 1 suggest that HMD Global will unveil the device soon, perhaps in a matter of weeks. 

According to Tech Radar, the Nokia 1 is rumored to sport an HD display. In terms of the image snapper, the handset will have an 8MP rear camera and 5MP front-facing camera. Consistent with its low-tier label, the Nokia 1 will only have a quad-core processor with 1GB of RAM. It is believed that the chipset to be used in the smartphone is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 212. The Nokia 1 will be packed with a 4,100mAh battery.

So far, the HMD Global has showcased several brand new Nokia devices such as the Nokia 2, 5, 6, and the Nokia 8 flagship. While the public is focused on the successors of these high-tier handsets, particularly the Nokia 9, it has been reported that a new entry-level Nokia phone will arrive as an Android Go device. In spite of its low-tier specs and cheaper price, an Android Go smartphone like the Nokia 1 will run the trimmed-down version of the Android 8.0 Oreo OS, allowing the device to achieve increased performance on entry-level hardware.

It is not yet known if the Nokia 1 will be released in the global market, although it is expected that the Android Go phone will rival the Xiaomi Redmi 5A with a sub-$30 price tag this March.