Nokia 1 is the first Android Go smartphone by HMD Global

HMD Global announced the Nokia 1 as its cheapest smartphone up to date with a price tag of $85 that translates to €75. The most prominent feature of the phone is its Android Oreo (Go Edition), made specifically for low-powered devices. Google already launched plenty of apps under its Go program, but the Nokia 1 is the first phone explicitly created for this project.

Android Oreo (Go Edition), as introduced back in June 2017, reinvents popular Google apps for developing markets where low-powered phones are more prevalent. YouTube Go, for example, allows downloading videos for watching later when offline and it does not play videos with a higher resolution than 480p to consume fewer data.

Gmail Go is another app that saves precious megabytes - it also allows for offline reading and uses less RAM. Google’s in-house keyboard Gboard Go is built in the Nokia 1. It lacks GIF search, stickers and one-handed mode, but uses half of the phone’s memory.

Cutting ties with some smart features does not mean getting back in the stone age. Google Assistant also has a Go version that allows for making phone calls, sending messages, playing music and checking the weather. It is not able to control smart home devices, but they are not an object you would find in countries where phones with 1 GB RAM or less are popular.

Specs-wise, Nokia 1 is pretty basic - it has 4.5" screen with a resolution of 480 x 854 pixels and a MediaTek MT6737M chipset with quad-core CPU at 1.1 GHz.

The camera on the back is 5 MP, coupled with LED flash, while you have 2 MP sensor for selfies and video chats. Storage is 8 GB and is expandable up to 128 GB more through a microSD slot. The Nokia 1 is powered by a 2,150 mAh battery that charges via micro USB. Fans of FM radio should rejoice because the phone supports the feature.