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The Nokia T20.
Ryan Browne | CNBC
LONDON – The company that makes Nokia-branded phones on Wednesday unveiled its first tablet, the Nokia T20, as part of a challenge to Apple’s iPad.
HMD Global said the tablet, which runs on Google’s Android operating system, comes with a 10.4-inch 2K display and a massive 8,200 milliampere-hour battery.
The company promises up to 15 hours of use with a full charge. For more power-hungry users, HMD says the T20 supports 10 hours of video streaming on platforms like YouTube and Netflix.
It also comes with family-friendly features like Google Kids Space, a “kids mode” setting that only displays content that’s safe for kids, and Family Link, a system that introduces parental controls.
The Nokia T20 starts at a price of 199 euros in Europe, or $ 249.99 in the United States. It comes in two versions: one with only Wi-Fi support and another with 4G connectivity. The latter costs a little more, priced at 239 euros.
The company has not disclosed any information on the release date and availability.
HMD, based in Espoo, Finland, has licensed the brand of Nokia phones since 2016, when the company bought it from Microsoft.
The company, majority owned by former Nokia executive Jean-François Baril, counts Google, Qualcomm and Nokia among its investors.
It has launched several smartphones over the years, as well as the touchscreenless phones for which Nokia is best known. Notable product launches include revivals of the iconic Nokia 3310 and Nokia 8110 “banana phone”, which featured in the movie “The Matrix”.
HMD’s mobile phone business performed well. However, the company has been less fortunate with its smartphones, which accounted for less than 1% of the market last year.
In July, HMD launched the Nokia XR20, a “rugged” smartphone designed to withstand harsh environmental conditions. The company says the model has already exceeded its sales expectations.
Now, HMD hopes to capitalize on the growing demand for tablets after working from home and distance learning became the norm for many during the pandemic.
Global tablet sales are expected to grow in 2020 for the first time in six years, according to data from Strategy Analytics.
At $ 250, the Nokia T20 could be seen as an attempt to drive consumers away from Apple. However, Adam Ferguson, head of marketing for HMD products, said that was not the goal.
“We don’t tend to build our strategy around who can we steal stocks,” Ferguson said, adding that the tablet was likely to attract Android users more than Apple customers.
Beyond its long battery life, the T20 also comes with four years of monthly security updates and three years of Android upgrades.
HMD targets business customers as well as consumers with the device. It says the T20 is included in the Android Enterprise Recommended for Business program.
Ferguson said the T20 was just one part of a series of tablets the company is considering launching and hinted that a future model would likely be compatible with new 5G networks.
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