By Jonathan Chadwick In Berlin For Mailonline
Published: 07:57 EDT, 1 September 2022 | Updated: 07:38 EDT, 2 September 2022
HMD Global, the maker of Nokia devices, has revealed four new devices and an environmentally-friendly subscription service at IFA 2022 in Berlin.
Called Circular, the subscription service incentives people to keep their phones and tablets for longer by offering them eco-friendly rewards, which they can use to plant trees, remove plastic from rivers, or provide connectivity to those in need.
This way, Circular will reduce e-waste and in turn minimise the negative impact phone ownership can have on the planet, HMD Global said.
The subscription service includes a £30 set-up fee, with phones and tablets then available for a range of prices starting at £10 a month.
HMD Global also revealed four new devices at IFA, including its most eco-friendly smartphone yet, the Nokia X30 5G, which is made from 100 per cent recycled aluminium and 65 per cent recycled plastic.
'Subscribe to change': HMD Global, the maker of Nokia devices, is letting phone users 'enjoy environmental rewards' with a new subscription service
Pictured is the Nokia booth at IFA 2022, which runs in Berlin, Germany from September 2-6
HMD Global, the maker of Nokia devices, has revealed four new devices and a eco-focused subscription service, called Circular
- Nokia X30 5G: Its 'most eco-friendly smartphone yet' (£399)
Nokia phones are now released by HMD Global, which purchased the rights to the Nokia brand name in December 2016.
'At HMD Global, home of Nokia phones, we want people to keep their phones for longer and this can be seen across three areas,' said Florian Seiche, CEO at HMD Global.
'We have introduced Circular, a truly circular subscription model that rewards people who extend the lifecycle of their phones.
'We build our devices with more recycled materials and continue to boost our longevity heritage with software and security updates.
'And we are working hard to live this approach as a company, with our business-wide sustainability pledges that shows our commitment to continue to work harder to protect tomorrow.'
Circular will recycle, refurbish and re-subscribe devices returned to the firm, or donate them to charitable causes in order to keep them out of landfill.
Nokia X30 5G (pictured), made with 100 per cent recycled aluminum and 65 per cent recycled plastic, is its most eco-friendly smartphone yet
Circular will recycle, refurbish and re-subscribe devices returned to the firm, or donate them to charitable causes in order to keep them out of landfill. This will help reduce the huge global burden of electronic waste, or e-waste (file photo)
E-waste (electronic waste) includes anything with plugs, cords and electronic components. Common sources of e-waste include TVs, computers, phones and home appliances.
The UK is currently one of the largest producers of household e-waste in the world. When broken or unwanted electronics are dumped in landfill, toxic substances like lead and mercury can leach into soil and water.
Electronics also contain valuable non-renewable resources including gold, silver, copper, platinum, aluminum and cobalt. This means when we dispose of them without recycling, we are throwing away precious materials.
The scheme awards users more 'seeds' the longer they keep a device. These seeds can then be used towards supporting sustainability or charitable efforts around the world.
These include planting trees or reducing carbon, backing a firm removing plastic from rivers, or providing connectivity to those in need.
Accidental damage, loss or theft of devices will be taken care of by HMD Global as part of the subscription without any extra cost.
'Sustainability is important to customers when it comes to connected electronics devices,' said Ben Wood, analyst at CCS Insight.
'CCS Insight's research shows that roughly half of consumers in key European markets believe that creating products that last longer is helpful and positive for the environment.
'HMD continues to encourage consumers to keep their device for longer and with Circular, it also means devices stay out of landfill.
'Electronic waste is an issue the whole industry must address and services like Circular are a positive step towards creating change.'
To coincide with the announcement of Circular, Nokia has also revealed a new tablet and three new Nokia smartphones.
The new £249 Nokia G60 5G (pictured) also features a substantial amount of recycled materials
Nokia C31 (pictured), which has a three-day battery life and costs €129 in European markets, although UK availability is 'yet to be determined'
Nokia X30 5G, which starts from £399, is made with 100 per cent recycled aluminium and 65 per cent recycled plastic, and comes in a 94 per cent recycled paper box.
With a Circular subscription, it will be available in the UK for £25 per month, from late September.
It is joined in the new line-up by the Nokia C31, which has a three-day battery life and costs €129 in European markets, although UK availability is 'yet to be determined'.
Also revealed are the £249 Nokia G60 5G, which also features a substantial amount of recycled materials, and the Nokia T21 tablet.
HMD Global says: 'Designed with a tough body made with aluminum that features a 60% recycled plastic cover for the antenna, the new Nokia T21 brings all the durability and promises you would expect from a Nokia tablet'
Nokia T21, which starts at starts at £189, has been designed with a tough body made with aluminium that features a 60 per cent recycled plastic cover.
Circular and the Nokia G60 5G are available today, but the other phones and tablet will be available at a later date.
HMD Global confirmed that some existing Nokia devices will be available with Circular.
Taiwanese company Asus has launched the Zenbook 17 Fold OLED, a laptop with a foldable screen, but it will set users back £3,000.
The 'futuristic device', launched at IFA Berlin on Wednesday, has a 17.3-inch foldable OLED touchscreen with a hinge down the middle.
Asus says the touchscreen folds down to a compact 12.5-inch size, making it smaller than a sheet of photocopier paper for carrying in your bag.
The device will roll out globally during the fourth quarter (the last three months of the year) but it won't come cheap - prices start at an eyewatering $3,499 (£3,000).
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