GOOD CALL
Little-known Samsung rival unveils cheap Android phone for just £100 & has a retro battery feature that’ll save money
Forget expensive repairs - find out how this smartphone brand aims to make the process easier and cheaper
A LITTLE-KNOWN smartphone brand is hoping to shake up the expensive mobile scene with a device costing less than £100.
HMD Global is not a name most people will be familiar with but it's actually the company that makes the latest Nokia phones.
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You may have heard about them releasing a Barbie phone earlier this year - and more recently working on a Heineken mobile too.
But the Finnish firm is breaking away from Nokia with its own name on a trio of new handsets revealed today.
The Android range consists of HMD Pulse Pro, HMD Pulse+ and HMD Pulse - the latter being the cheapest of the bunch at only £99.99.
But one of the key selling points for all three is their repairability - which could save you even more money in the long run.
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HMD says each device is built to be repairable so owners can replace a damaged display, bent charging port, or a depleted battery, without needing an expensive expert.
Users can pick up a self-repair kit in partnership with iFixit, starting from £17.99.
Ben Wood, Chief Analyst CCS insight, said: "Repairability is a hot topic for consumers, and CCS insight has seen interest in repairing mobile phones increase significantly in both the EU and US over the last year.
"Approximately 55% of those surveyed in the EU said they would like to have a device that’s outside its warranty period repaired at a reasonable cost rather than replacing it with a new device.
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"In the US interest is also strong, at an impressive 49%."
HMD claims the cheapest Pulse has a battery that can last up to 59 hours.
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You only get 64 GB of storage but there's an SD card slot to pack some extra.
HMD has also committed to providing the device with 2 operating system upgrades upgrades.
The 13-megapixel camera on the back uses AI HDR to enhance images and comes with skin-tone optimisation for naturally vibrant shots.
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Top of the trio is the HMD Pulse Pro which is being marketed as the " selfie-lover’s new best friend".
That's because it comes with a whooping 50-megapixel front facing camera.
You can even give your phone the two-finger salute to kick-start all new Selfie Gesture Navigation - or go hands-free with a finger-heart, thumbs up or two-handed heart sign for group selfies.
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