HMD Global

"Nokia Mobile" redirects here. For the original corporate owner, see Nokia. For Nokia Lumia, the former corporate owner, see Microsoft Mobile. For Nokia Lumia, the series of smartphone devices, see Microsoft Lumia.

HMD Global Oy
Company typeOsakeyhtiö (Limited company)
IndustryConsumer electronics
PredecessorMicrosoft Mobile Oy
Founded1 December 2016; 7 years ago (2016-12-01)
FounderJean-Francois Baril
HeadquartersEspoo, Finland[1]
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
ProductsMobile phones, smartphones, feature phones, tablet computers
BrandsHMD
RevenueDecrease €1.2 billion (2022)[3]
Negative increase −€76.9 million (2022)[3]
Number of employees
500+ (2024)[4]
Websitewww.hmd.com

Human Mobile Devices (HMD), formally HMD Global, is a Finnish independent mobile phone manufacturer. The company is owned by the Luxembourgish holding company Smart Connect GL. The company is made up of the mobile phone business that the Nokia Corporation sold to Microsoft in 2014, then bought back in 2016. HMD began marketing Nokia-branded smartphones and feature phones on 1 December 2016. The company has exclusive rights to the Nokia brand for mobile phones through a licensing agreement.[5] The HMD brand was initially only used for corporate purposes and does not appear in advertising, whereas the name "Nokia Mobile" is used on social media.[6][7] In January 2024, HMD rebranded to 'Human Mobile Devices' and will use its branding on future devices alongside that of Nokia.[8]

HMD has a partnership with Google, and uses the Android operating system under the Android One program on their smartphones,[9] whereas HMD's feature phones use the Series 30+ platform, or most recently, the Firefox OS-derived KaiOS.[citation needed]

HMD is headquartered in Espoo, Finland, and is largely run by former Nokia executives.[10] The first CEO was Arto Nummela, a Nokia veteran of 17 years, until July 2017, when company president Florian Seiche took over as CEO.[11] Manufacturing is outsourced to Foxconn subsidiary FIH Mobile.[12][13][14] Nokia has an investment[15] in HMD, and remains a partner, setting mandatory requirements and providing patents and technologies, in return for royalty payments.[16][17] HMD uses a marketing strategy advertising Nokia phones as "pure, secure and up to date" (referring to a stock Android interface and its commitment to fast updates) as well as brand trust and nostalgia.[18][19][20][21]

  1. ^ "HMD Global Oy". Wireless Power Consortium. Archived from the original on 4 November 2018. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
  2. ^ "About HMD". HMD Global. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
  3. ^ a b "HMD Global's 2022 financial report shows a bleak situation". Nokiamob.net. 7 October 2023.
  4. ^ "About HMD". HMD Global. 1 February 2024. Retrieved 2 April 2024.
  5. ^ Dua, Kunal (2 December 2016). "Meet HMD Global, the Team Bringing Nokia Phones Back". NDTV. Retrieved 14 June 2017.
  6. ^ "Nokia Mobile (@nokiamobile)". Twitter. Retrieved 20 August 2017.
  7. ^ "Nokia Mobile". Facebook. Retrieved 20 August 2017.
  8. ^ "We're Human Mobile Devices, but you can call us HMD". www.hmd.com. 31 January 2024. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
  9. ^ Carlon, Kris (1 December 2016). "Nokia's new Android phones made in "close partnership" with Google". Android Authority. Retrieved 24 July 2017.
  10. ^ Petrovan, Bogdan (18 May 2016). "The legend lives on: Nokia-branded Android smartphones are coming". Android Authority. Retrieved 14 June 2017.
  11. ^ Reigh, Brian (19 July 2017). "HMD Global, the company behind new Nokia phones, loses its CEO". Android Authority. Retrieved 24 July 2017.
  12. ^ Kharpal, Arjun (16 August 2017). "A new $702 Nokia high-end smartphone unveiled ahead of Apple, Samsung launches". CNBC. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
  13. ^ Costello, Steve (18 May 2016). "Nokia brand to return to devices, as Microsoft confirms feature phone retreat". Mobile World Live. Retrieved 14 June 2017.
  14. ^ Orlowski, Andrew (18 August 2017). "So, Nokia. What makes you think the world wants your phones?". The Register. Retrieved 18 August 2017.
  15. ^ Hughes, Matthew (11 August 2020). "Nokia licensor HMD Global scores $230m from Google, Qualcomm, and, er... Nokia". The Register. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
  16. ^ "Foxconn scores big with multi-layered transaction that will bring Nokia mobile devices back to life". Intellectual Asset Management. Archived from the original on 9 August 2020. Retrieved 14 June 2017.
  17. ^ "HMD Global Founded to Create New Generation of Nokia-branded Mobile Phones and Tablets". PRNewswire.com. 15 August 2016. Retrieved 14 June 2017.
  18. ^ Serrafero, Mario Tomás (12 April 2017). "If HMD Does Deliver a Nokia Flagship with Stock Android and Fast Updates, They Have My Money". XDA Developers. Retrieved 20 August 2017.
  19. ^ Khullar, Kunal (14 June 2017). "Nokia 6 first impressions: A healthy reboot for a nostalgia-heavy brand". Firstpost. Retrieved 20 August 2017.
  20. ^ "Poll: What do you think of Nokia 8 design & build quality". Nokia Power User. 18 August 2017. Retrieved 20 August 2017.
  21. ^ Makhni, Rajiv (28 January 2017). "Can the new Nokia be no.1 again?". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 20 August 2017.