HMD Global’s latest phone might look familiar, that’s because it’s a tweaked version of the Nokia 3.2 the company announced earlier this year. The new Nokia 3V boasts a big display and plenty of battery life — all for just $168 — but it’s exclusive to Verizon.
The Nokia 3V is the second phone from HMD to land on Verizon, following the Nokia 2V. The rear design is quite basic, but the front is more interesting. There’s a 6.26-inch display with a HD+ resolution, a notch for the selfie camera, along with a slim bezel at the top with rounded corners. There is a thicker bezel on the bottom, which ruins a bit of the symmetry.
On the bottom of the device, there’s a Micro-USB port, while on the side, there’s a dedicated Google Assistant button, which we’ve been seeing more of from HMD. Double-tapping the Assistant button has a function too — it’ll show you an overview of your day in the Assistant screen. The power button doubles as a notification light.
It’s perhaps what’s under the hood that’s most important. The device is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 419, which will be capable of handling basic apps, but not much more. It’s coupled with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of storage.
The phone is relatively up-to-date software-wise too. It ships with Android 9.0 Pie, and despite the fact the phone isn’t part of the Android One program, Nokia promises the phone will get at least 18 months of security patches and at least two Android version upgrades, which we presume will include Android Q and Android R.
This is the fifth smartphone from HMD Global that’s available from a carrier in the U.S. — a sign of the company’s gradual push into the market. None of its carrier phones run Android One, a Google program that ensures manufacturers deliver 2 years of version updates and 2 years of security updates to devices. But HMD Global does sell some unlocked Android One phones, such as the Nokia 7.1 and the Nokia 9 PureView. The former is expected to get an upgrade soon, as rumors have been circulating about the Nokia 7.2.
Interested in getting the Nokia 3V for yourself? It’ll be available from Verizon on August 23 for $168, or $17 per month. If your budget doesn’t stretch as much but you want a Nokia-branded phone, there’s always the Nokia 2V.
