Guide to the latest Nokia 1 $150 smartphone- The super simple Nokia Android phone in Australia
HMD Global the company that acquired Nokia has now launched new smartphones in 2018. Among these new Nokia phones is Nokia 1 the $150 smartphone for everyone. This is the ultra budget phone to buy in Australia.
The unassuming $150 plastic handset comes in navy or red and has a characteristically Nokia look and feel. The Nokia 1 runs a version of Android 8.1, but it looks just like an old Nokia.
It features Android Oreo Go Edition, an operating system from Google that offers the latest attractions while streamlining for less powerful devices. Oreo Go is a perfect fit for cheap, low-powered phones like the 1,
This phones are designed to run on less than 1GB of RAM, and run ‘Go’ editions of Google apps as well as ‘lite’ versions off apps from partners including Facebook, Twitter and more.
The Nokia 1 brings back the famous Nokia Xpress-on covers, swappable, brightly coloured rears for the phone which cover a removable 2150mAh battery. The Nokia 1 will be coming in Dark Blue, and covers will be priced from $19.95 in Azure, Grey, Yellow and Pink.
Complete specifications of Nokia 1 and the apps
The Nokia 1 phone has a screen size of 3.5 inch with IPS technology and resolution of 854×480. The Rear camera is of 5 MP and front camera comes with 2 mega pixel. With MediaTek MT6737M Chipset the core configuration is of Quad-Core 1.1GHz with 1 GB RAM and 8 GB Storage and MicroSD of 128 GB. The battery is 2150 mAh which is removalble and has headphone port as well as Micro USB connector.
The pre-installed Google apps like Maps, Gmail and Assistant are all special “Go” versions that, much like Google’s Chrome OS, leave the heavy lifting to an internet browser rather than the device itself. Whether you are connected to 4G or Wi-Fi, these apps worked exactly as expected and quite quickly. You can access all your stuff in the cloud be it pictures, music, podcasts, contacts, documents, notes from just anywhere.
A Google app also provides a handy collection of popular functions you’d usually need a separate app for, like a library of GIFs, Google Translate and weather forecasts. There’s a huge bank of links to web locations like social media networks, streaming sites, shopping services, news outlets and games too, so even if you never add an app besides what’s pre-installed you can get pretty much anything done.
You have access to the Play Store where you can get any app you need, but the store will helpfully highlight programs that will run well on the less-powerful device. This means if you really need the full-fat Gmail you can have it, you’re just not guaranteed to get a good experience. If you’re looking at an app and a similar, less intensive one is available for example Facebook Lite rather than Facebook, the store will tell you.
Also YouTube and Netflix perform totally fine here as well, and the maximum 480p resolution the tiny screen puts out means you won’t even use that much data. You will have no trouble playing pokies with various music streaming apps, and device-controlling apps like Sonos or Google Home.
If you’re on a limited data cap and want to save as many of your precious megabytes as possible, Oreo Go makes it pretty easy to restrict data at the touch of a button, only letting apps you’ve white listed have unrestricted access. As always, you can also program a monthly data cutoff. If you want to get really extreme, an FM radio is included so you don’t have to stream music at all.
On the hardware side the device has everything you need to make use of Google’s smart software. There’s only 8GB of on-board storage, which isn’t much if you’re wanting to keep your videos, pics and music locally, but you can add a microSD card for more room. There’s Bluetooth for your headphones and a 3.5mm jack, of course, and there’s a removable battery, which means no waterproofing but easy repairs and replacements.
The 5MP camera is slow, meaning fast-moving subjects or low light conditions present a challenge. It shoots video in SD, which looks ok on the little screen but not good elsewhere. There is a flash and a 2MP selfie shooter included.
This might be a very basic phone, but it provides the lion’s share of the functionality and connectivity you’re going to need. Every $100 between the Nokia 1 and something like a Google Pixel just adds little bits of speed, convenience and polish, plus non-essentials like a competent camera and a screen you’ll actually like watching Netflix on.
Note that almost all of the best things about this phone are provided by Google’s Android software, with Nokia merely putting together a pleasant-looking and functional device that meets the software’s minimum specs This means you’re likely to get a similar experience out of any device running Oreo Go Edition.
Where to buy Nokia 1 in Australia?
You can buy Nokia 1 affordable smartphone online or at Nokia stores. The Nokia 1 is available in Australia for $149 outright through Harvey Norman. If you want to add a dash of style, its Xpress-on covers sell in Azure, Grey, Yellow and Pink finishes for $19.95 each.
