Why Nokia made an Android phone it wants you to tear apart

Mobile World Congress

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HMD Global is making it easier to repair your smartphone. It has announced the Nokia G22 as the first to qualify under its new “QuickFix” program, which is aimed at minimizing the effort, knowledge, and expense that’s usually involved in replacing a broken screen or a battery that’s past its prime.

The company also has a couple of other new Android phones aimed directly at budget-conscious buyers, and all of it is part of the company’s big Mobile World Congress 2023 launch lineup. Here’s a look at everything that’s new.

Nokia G22

For the Nokia G22, HMD Global has partnered with iFixit to provide official replacement parts and the basic tools required to complete the job. Although it may initially seem daunting to split your phone apart and start pulling out components, HMD Global genuinely seems to have made the task much easier than you would expect.

During a presentation of the Nokia G22 ahead of its announcement, an HMD Global representative tore down the Nokia G22 and swapped the battery for a new one in a few seconds under five minutes, all while still giving a presentation. The job was performed using three tools: the included SIM tray removal tool, a 00 screwdriver, and a guitar pick to help separate the back cover from the chassis. The screwdriver and the pick can be purchased from iFixit, along with a new battery.

The cost is reasonable at 30 euros/$31 for the battery, or 50 euros/$52 for a new display, with the toolkit adding an extra five euros/$5. While the battery swap took five minutes, changing the display is more complicated and is estimated to take 20 minutes. These costs are approximately 30% cheaper than paying a company to do it, and HMD Global says the process has 50% fewer steps than before. Professional companies take about 45 minutes to swap a battery in a competing phone, according to HMD Global.

All this increases the Nokia G22’s longevity, but is it a phone you’ll want to buy and keep for a long time? It’s not a flagship phone and costs just 179 euros, or about $180. For this, you get a 6.5-inch screen, a 100% recycled plastic case, a 5,050mAh battery with an estimated three-day use, and a Unisoc T606 processor. It comes in two colors, Lagoon Blue and Meteor Gray. It has an IP52 water- and dust-resistance rating, which isn’t affected by any repair, provided the instructions are followed properly.

Unfortunately, it comes with Android 12 installed, which HMD Global says is due to an extended development time for the phone, and getting it to Android 13 will eat into one of its two guaranteed major updates. It also comes with three years of security updates, which is good for a smartphone at this price. It’s also a 4G-only phone, which again affects longevity. The main camera on the back has 50 megapixels and sits alongside a 2MP macro camera and a 2MP depth camera.

The specifications aren’t what makes the Nokia G22 exciting; it’s the relative ease of repair for a low entry price, from a brand already associated with durability. Outside of Fairphone, this level of repairability is rarely seen, and it is another addition to HMD Global’s increasing list of similarly environmentally conscious initiatives. We hope to see it come to more models soon.

Nokia C22

The Nokia G22 and QuickFix are HMD Global’s most interesting announcements for MWC 2023, but it also has a couple of other phones to show off. The Nokia C22 is a simple 4G smartphone with Android 13 Go Edition installed, a 1.6Ghz octa-core Unisoc processor, and a 5,000mAh battery for three days of use. There’s a choice between 2GB or 3GB of RAM, and each comes with 64GB of internal storage space and a MicroSD card slot too.

On the back is a 13MP main camera and a 2MP macro camera, plus there’s an 8MP selfie camera at the top of the screen, along with a fingerprint scanner on the back of the phone. The polycarbonate unibody has an IP52 water-resistance rating, and there’s toughened 2.5D glass over the screen, and even a 3.5mm headphone jack on the body. It comes in either Midnight Black or Sand colors and will cost just 109 euros, which is around $115.

Nokia C32

The Nokia C32 is another 4G phone, but this time is made of toughened glass for a premium finish, which is unusual considering its 129 euros (approximately $136) price. It runs full Android 13 and comes in either Charcoal, Autumn Green, or Beach Pink colors.

It’s another 1.6GHz Unisoc processor inside with either 3GB or 4GB of RAM, plus either 64GB or 128GB of internal storage space. The 5,000mAh battery should last for three days between charges. There’s an IP52 water- and dust-resistance rating, a 6.5-inch screen, and a 50MP main rear camera.