It takes a lot to make a low-cost Android phone stand out these days, but Nokia is giving it their all.
The new Nokia G42 5G is a plain-looking £199/€249 smartphone with one notable feature: repairability. Anyone with basic tools can change the battery, display, back cover, and charging port.
All replacement components will be accessible through iFixit for five years, with the firm also offering a professional repair service if desired.
In principle, this will considerably increase the phone’s lifespan beyond the standard range. The software support commitment, on the other hand, says otherwise. The Nokia G42 5G will only receive two years of operating system upgrades and three years of security patches, which means nothing beyond 2026.
HMD Global, the producer of Nokia phones, says the decision was influenced by both cost and customer input. It presumes that users would want to replace their phones after 2-3 years, which negates the purpose of repairability.
In comparison, the repairability-focused Fairphone company’s current Fairphone 4 smartphone will receive five years of security upgrades after its 2021 debut. HMD Global believes that this strategy isn’t “consumer desirable,” hence the tradeoff is obsolete hardware and a higher price tag.
The Nokia G22, which costs £149.99, was released earlier this year with the same repairability qualities. So, other than the price, what’s new here?
The largest difference is 5G, which makes it the brand’s first repairable phone with cutting-edge connectivity. This is dependent on a chipset swap, with the Unisoc T606 being replaced with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 480+.
Along with 6GB of RAM (up from 4GB), expect a minor performance bump. Internal storage remains limited to 128GB, while it may be expanded with a microSD card (up to 1TB).
The only other difference is a new purple coating, which makes that plastic back appear a lot more inviting.
All other critical specifications, like the replaceable 5000mAh battery, remain unchanged. According to HMD Global, this may last up to three days of (probably extremely modest) usage and retain 80% of its original capacity after 800 charging cycles – around four years.
USB-C is utilized for charging at 20W, although the 3.5mm headphone connector remains.
The three back cameras remain intact, with a primary 50Mp lens accompanied by depth and macro sensors of 2Mp. On the front, the 8Mp selfie camera stays unchanged. If the G22’s comparable specifications are any indication, you may anticipate nice photographs in favorable lighting but a disappointing experience elsewhere.
The G42’s 6.5in LCD display is just 720p (7201612), however it has a refresh rate of 90Hz. It weighs 194g, which is light for a gadget of its size.
If you’re ready to pay the asking price of £199/€249, the Nokia G42 5G is now available to purchase on the Nokia website. Pricing and availability in North America are still unknown.
