Nokia Tablet Unveiled By HMD Global

Finnish handset manufacturer HMD Global has introduced its first tablet, the Nokia T20, that could pose a challenge to Apple’s iPad in the years ahead.

The Nokia T20 tablet is an Android-based device, and it promises 15 hours of battery life, coupled with a budget friendly price tag of 199 euros (or $249).

Until now, HMD Global has been known as a supplier of Nokia-branded smartphones. HMD Global had acquired the rights to use the Nokia brand name in 2016 and began offering range of Android-based smartphones in 2017.

Nokia T20

So what exactly is HMD offering with the Nokia T20 tablet?

The tablet runs Android 11 and has a 10.4-inch 2K display, coupled with a huge 8,200mAh battery that promises to deliver up to 15 hours of usage on a full charge. And the T20 can deliver 10 hours of video streaming on platforms such as YouTube and Netflix.

The T20 features a 10.36in 2K display, stereo speakers and a 3.5mm headphone jack, housed within an aluminium body, toughened cover glass and IP52-certified protection.

It is powered by a Unisoc Tiger T610 12nm SoC, and comes with 4GB of RAM. Storage is either 32GB or 64GB, with a microSD expandable up to 512GB

There is both Wi-Fi and 4G LTE connectivity variants.

The T20 comes with family-friendly features like Google Kids Space, which is a “kids mode” setting that shows only safe content to children.

There is also Family Link, which is parental control system.

“We pride ourselves on always listening and responding to people’s wishes,” said Florian Seiche, CEO, HMD Global. “Over the past year, we noticed the increase in hybrid working and online learning, as well as the growing use of social media, video calling platforms and streaming services – leading to an increase in the appetite for tablets, which grew an impressive 53 percent in Q1 from 2020 to 2021.”

“So, we created HMD Global’s first-ever Nokia tablet to address people’s changing needs and their desire for versatile technology and features,” said Seiche. “Designed for work, learning and play, our Nokia T20 offers the classic qualities people have come to love and expect from our smartphones, in a brand-new format.”

The Nokia T20 starts at a price of 199 euros in Europe, or $249.99 in the US.

Prices in the UK start from £179.99 (£199.99 for the LTE variant).

There is no word on actual release date or availability of the tablet (but it is available for pre-order), but it would make sense for HMD to release the device ahead of the Christmas period – chip shortage withstanding.

Tablet demand

It is clear that HMD is seeking to capitalise on the demand for tablets, which had surged in lockdowns during the Coronavirus pandemic, and is not seeking to throw down a challenge to the Apple powerhouse, as most users are either committed to the Android or iOS ecosystem by now.

Sales of Apple iPads have boomed in the past 18 months, as more and more home bound people opt for tablets to stream content from Netflix etc.

Apple last month carried out a much needed refresh of its entry-level iPad, with the new iPad (9th generation), as well as the new iPad Mini.