From CNET: HMD Global, the startup behind the latest incarnation of Nokia phones, is coming to America after all.
The Nokia 6, which made its debut at the Mobile World Congress trade show in Barcelona on Sunday, will hit the US market in May. It won't be available through any carriers, but instead will be available to buy outright through retail partners, said Juho Sarvikas, HMD's chief product officer, in an interview with CNET. He declined to give details on which partners or on the US pricing. The phone will cost around £200 in the UK, converting to about $280.
"The trend is that the open market is growing," said Sarvikas, explaining the company's decision not to partner with any carriers for the phone's launch.
The confirmation of the Nokia 6's arrival in the US is a 180-degree turn from comments made by HMD CEO Florian Seiche to CNET, who had said earlier that the Nokia phones unveiled at MWC wouldn't be coming to the US. "It's not a core focus for this year, but certainly it is on our road map," he said.
Nokia is the latest handset maker to test the US waters by selling a phone directly to consumers, circumventing the normal method of partnering with a large carrier for promotional and retail distribution support. But aside from a few exceptions like OnePlus, companies have struggled to get consumers to notice. The vast majority of people still get their phones through a carrier. Nokia, however, has the advantage of name recognition -- even if the brand's relevancy in the US has largely evaporated.
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