Nokia Rumors: HMD Global Could Launch Android Phone With T9 Keypads

HMD Global has dared to be different in certain ways, always aiming for the impossible. Seeing how most entry-level phones are normally incompatible with Android, all that could change with a feature phone of their own.

According to Love Nokia, the Nokia 400 could be the alleged feature phone HMD Global has in mind. A notable feature here is that it will have keypads - normally signaling that this would be a low-end device. However, HMD Global may be able to create some twists and unleash their first feature phone running on Android.

There was a time when users would rely on phones with a T9 keypad but with limited hardware. That would include the inability to connect to the Internet - something that would immediately render it useless. But if this new sighting is any good, all that could change soon.

A device with model TA-1208 initially appeared back in August from HMD Global in the Wi-Fi Alliance listing. It suddenly disappeared but the same model is reportedly up again. The difference is that it comes with the Nokia 400 name together with the operating system details.

It should be noted that HMD Global normally uses KaiOS for its feature phones. This operating system normally is used since it can support several Google apps like YouTube, Maps, and Assistant. In the case of the spotted listing, GAFP is the one being used.

Skimming through past articles, there was a Nokia feature phone codenamed "Iron GAFP" that appeared on a leaked video last year. The phone ran on Android 8.1. The same phone had apps lie Chrome, Assistant and YouTube pre-installed. As to what GAFP actually means, nothing official has been revealed. However, LoveNokia makes a wild guess, calling it "Google Apps on Feature Phones".

There is no clarity if the two phones are connected. There is a chance that HMD Global could shed more light on it by the Mobile World Congress 2020. The company is expected to launch several devices in Barcelona. As mentioned in a previous post, there are several new Nokia models coming out in 2020. These are the Nokia 8.2 5G, Nokia 5.2 and Nokia 1.3. Could the Nokia 400 be another one joining the mix?