The relentless rise of the smartphone alternative continues as HMD – steward of Finland’s famed Nokia brand since 2016 – brings out three ultra-compact 4G phones for those who are sick of swiping and constant alerts. The new Nokia 215, 225 and 235 each has a colour LCD display and 4G, offering basic functionality designed for digital detoxes and the times when a £1k pocket computing device feels like overkill.
The Nokia 215, 225 and 235 from HMD
HMD (Human Mobile Devices) still makes relatively rudimentary smartphones, but it’s these pocketable models that are proving a success, each priced at less than what many people pay on a monthly contract. The company is also behind the recent headline-grabbing ‘Boring Phone’, a collaboration with concept store Bodega and Dutch brewer Heineken.
New Nokia candybar phones from HMD
Nokia 225 4G in pink from HMD
The most basic model in this new batch is the 215, which comes in Peach, Black and Dark Blue. This device is simplicity itself – the design eschews even the camera. Next up is the 225, which shares the 215’s 2.4-inch screen and adds a 0.3 MP camera – for low-res photography without recourse to filters. It’s available in Pink and Dark Blue, while the ‘flagship’ 235 ups the screen dimensions to a whopping 2.8 inches and has a 2 MP camera. It comes in Blue, Black and Purple.
Nokia 215 from HMD
In addition to the three new phones, HMD’s stable is filled with Nokia classics, like the 8210 4G, the 6310 and the 2720 Flip. These names might not mean much to a generation weaned on yearly iPhone drops, AI-powered photography and relentless barrages of social media, but time was when a phone’s battery could last for weeks, not days (or even hours). The 6310 even includes an FM radio. For those not ready to completely forego the tech advances of the 2020s, the 8210 4G crams WhatsApp, Facebook and YouTube connectivity into a candybar format and can even use Google Maps.
The new range of Nokia candybar phones from HMD
Nokia 215 4G, £54.99 / Nokia 225 4G, £59.99 / Nokia 235 4G, £64.99, from HMD.com
-
Designer Marta de la Rica’s elegant Madrid studio is full of perfectly-pitched contradictionsThe studio, or ‘the laboratory’ as de la Rica and her team call it, plays with colour, texture and scale in eminently rewarding ways
-
‘Nothing just because it’s beautiful’: Performance artist Marina Abramović on turning her hand to furniture designMarina Abramović has no qualms about describing her segue into design as a ‘domestication’. But, argues the ‘grandmother of performance art’ as she unveils a collection of chairs, something doesn’t have to be provocative to be meaningful
-
A local’s guide to Los Angeles by defiant artist Fawn RogersOregon-born, LA-based artist Fawn Rogers gives us a personal tour of her adopted city as it hosts its sixth edition of Frieze
-
Layer conceptualises a next-gen AI-powered device: introducing the PiAPiA, the Personal Intelligent Assistant, is a conceptual vision of how AI might evolve to dovetail with familiar devices and form factors
-
Point, shoot and process with Lomography’s two new colourful Instax camera editionsWith the Pemberley and The Blues editions, the Lomo’Instant Square Glass camera provides stylish and pocketable analogue photography
-
We put the new ultra-compact Dyson Car+Boat handheld vacuum through its pacesA cordless handheld vacuum pitched at a plethora of tasks, Dyson has tasked the new Car+Boat with far-reaching functionality without compromising performance
-
The Century Series, Philips goes retro to celebrate over 100 years of audio innovationDutch audio brand Philips has drawn on its extensive archive to shape the form of the five Century devices, all of which offer stylish ways to enjoy vinyl, radio and more
-
E-ink comes of age: the best new tablets for distraction-free reading and writingWe explore the world of E-ink tablets to find the best device for handwriting input, editing, sketching and light computing duties
-
Loop’s quiet revolution: design-conscious earplugs that really workThe makers of Loop earplugs offer ever-more colourful and functional options to allow anyone to turn life down a little
-
Leica’s SL3-S is its newest camera, an upgrade of its pro-grade full-frame systemPhotographers and videographers are catered for by the Leica SL3-S’ performance upgrades and expanded compatibility
-
Shine on: Yaber brightens home entertainment with two new compact projectorsYaber showcased new projectors at CES 2025 – its first ultra-short-throw device, as well as an ongoing collaboration with the estate of Keith Haring
