Nokia 7.2 review: Pure Android in premium design faces tough competition

HMD Global has continued the legacy of designing good-looking smartphones. Back in the day, Nokia has some of the most premium-looking devices - remember the N95, Communicator, N8 or even the Lumia 920. With the soft matte finish, the Nokia 7.2 looks stunning and feels premium. It has been crafted using a high-tech polymer composite that is claimed to have double the strength of regular polycarbonate. It has been wrapped around a tough metal chassis for a lighter yet stronger finish. And is protected using Corning Gorilla Glass at the front as well as the rear. A 6.3-inch full HD+ screen with HDR playback support dominates the front. At full brightness, the colours appeared bright and is great for streaming videos. Reading was a delight as text appeared crisp. Power button (illuminates when charging and glows for notifications) and volume rocker have been placed on the right panel, 3.5mm jack on the top, SIM tray and dedicated assistant button on left, and the charging port and speaker at the bottom. Right below the circular camera module at the rear is a fingerprint scanner that is super quick to unlock the phone. The popular face unlock feature is also on board, but it isn't secure as I was able to unlock the phone using a photograph as well. Ideally, adding a pin as a backup with fingerprint lock is a better idea. Overall, the Nokia 7.2 looks stylish and premium.

Other than the looks, it is a clean user interface and bloat-free experience that I loved about Nokia 7.2. Instead of having its custom UI, HMD has opted for the clean and simple Android One experience. Only a handful of Google apps and services are installed on the phone out-of-the-box. This includes Assistant, calendar, Chrome, Drive, Files, FM Radio, Gmail, Google One, Maps, My Phone, News, Photos, Play Store, YouTube, Wallpapers amongst others.

Vivo Z1 Pro review: A decent smartphone with impressive battery backup