Exclusive | ‘India is an aggressive market, but we are not shy’: HMD Global Chairman & CEO

HMD Global, that usually launches smartphones under the name of Nokia, launched their first self-branded smartphones called HMD Crest and HMD Crest Max in India recently. These smartphones are priced around Rs 15,000 in India, which makes it a new player in a highly competitive market. In an exclusive conversation with Business Today, Jean-Francois Baril, Co-Founder, Chairman & CEO at HMD Global stated about their India strategy.

He said, “India is a very aggressive market, but we are not shy. This device [HMD Crest Max] is priced very efficiently, and I believe no one has seen such a price for this quality.”

Adding to the same, Ravi Kunwar, CEO & Vice President - India & APAC at HMD told us, “It's a very competitive market, and the price-value equation we offer is outstanding. No one else in this price range has a 50MP selfie camera. Plus, the AI features we include make the consumer experience very smooth, which will make us stand out.”

But what prompted HMD to launch smartphones under their own branding in India? To this, Kunwar responded, “We see a space in this [India] market. Based on our consumer research, we found insights around the camera and processor where the HMD brand could better meet consumer needs. That’s why we are launching these products under the HMD brand.”

He further said, “We already have a strong presence in the feature phone market and bring a lot of value there. We recently introduced the HMD 105 and 110, which offer great multimedia capabilities at a fantastic price.”

HMD Crest, HMD Crest Max launched in India

HMD Global has re-entered the Indian smartphone market with the launch of Crest and Crest Max. Both phones feature a standout 50MP front camera with innovative features like hands-free selfie and AI Super Portrait. Powered by an Unisoc T760 chipset, they offer decent performance. The Crest Max boasts a superior camera setup compared to the standard Crest. Both devices come with Android 14, two years of security updates, and emphasize repairability. 

In terms of pricing, HMD Crest and HMD Crest Max are launched at a starting price of Rs 12,999 and Rs 14,999 respectively.