Crest phones are designed with the Indian market in mind, aiming to democratize access to high-quality devices,” said HMD CEO Jean Francois Baril

“India is crucial for us, both financially and in terms of potential,” says Jean Francois Baril, CEO and Chairman of HMD, the Finnish smartphone brand. He emphasizes his focus following the launch of the Crest series, which is made in India. “This product has been designed specifically with India’s requirements in mind, leveraging our global platform,” he adds.

With the Crest series, Human Mobile Devices (HMD), the firm behind Nokia-branded phones, targets India’sswiftly expanding mid-range smartphone market.

“We have high hopes for India, both in terms of exports and the home market. India used to not be prepared to export, but that is no longer the case. We have already begun exporting a few items with assistance from programs like the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI),” says Baril, who also notes that HMD intends to begin with India and thereafter grow to the Middle East, Africa, and probably Europe. “We are taking America into consideration for future products.”

HMD’s goals for customers in India

Making an impression in India’s fiercely competitive mid-range smartphone market is no easy task, with multiple brands fighting for market share. Right now, HMD’s strategy focuses on providing reasonably priced products with a user experience at its core. “We must introduce incredibly low-cost products to this market. Our specifications are competitive and meet all the requirements for this particular segment. The user experience on these phones (Crest) is exceptional, though, as it is best-in-class for both this and related categories, Baril continues.

The device’s build quality, sustainability features, and photography capabilities seemed to have the HMD executive particularly thrilled. For example, the camera features a 50-megapixel wide-angle selfie camera. The phone feels sturdy and well-made in the hand. He claims that the color, material, and finish are of the highest caliber and that HMD is by far the most environmentally conscious business in the world.

Baril also underlined HMD’s dedication to sustainability as a crucial component. “There is no doubt that we are the world’s most sustainable company.” According to the CEO, the company’s approach to repairability is also part of this commitment, as HMD has partnered with iFixit to make it simpler for people to fix their own devices.

On the Crest series Unisoc chipset

The Unisoc T760 5G 6nm SoC powers the recently released Crest and Crest Max. Regarding the difficulties encountered in incorporating the chipset with Android 14, Baril admits that it created a fresh obstacle for the group. Nevertheless, he has faith in the collaboration and the chipset’s possibilities. “For this particular product category, it perfectly aligns with our goals.” These individuals are contributing to the chipset’s next technological advancement.

In furthering the discussion, HMD Chief Operating Officer Alain Lejeune notes that Unisoc is not a recent partner for HMD; the two have been collaborating for several years, beginning with feature phones and 4G smartphones. We are deeply partnered with them in terms of technology. Thanks to our collaboration, we can provide something special to the market with this cutting-edge chipset. We can provide this at a very low price, and the user experience is incredibly smooth,” he continues.

Bringing back ‘dumb’ phones

According to Baril, there is a significant problem with smartphone addiction and the risks associated with prolonged screen time, which is progressively pushing feature phones back into use, particularly in nations like the US, the UK, and France. Lobbyists frequently approach us and beg that we defend children. We are tackling this with a distinct product line.

Some HMD phones have a “detox mode” that may be accessed by just pushing a button. To solve issues, the company is about to introduce a project named “Better Phone.”With 750 million cell phones in use, India is another country where this issue is growing in importance. We believe it is our duty as human mobile devices to address this matter,” he states. 

What the buyer desires

In response to a question concerning the features that mid-range buyers want to see in a smartphone, Baril identifies three main criteria: overall user experience, affordability, and camera quality. He stresses how crucial it is to provide everyone with access to high-quality gadgets. “My goal is to make it more accessible for everyone to obtain the best phones,” he declared.

“Consumers are growing increasingly astute about the kind of user experience they desire in all marketplaces. Lejeune continues, “They’re especially conscious of factors like memory and processing speed that impact the seamlessness of use.

With the Crest series, HMD has teamed up with the world’s largest online retailer, Amazon, and it will be accessible in India during the forthcoming Great Freedom Sale. “While there may be some physical retail presence for customers to “touch and feel” the phones, the vast majority is going to be done through Amazon,” HMD’s Baril responds when questioned about its connection with Amazon and whether the company has plans for actual retail outlets in the future.