Choosing the Nokia G22 as one of the biggest innovations of the year makes sense, once we look at why.
The last months of the year are here, and with them, one of the favorite traditions of the technological media: the review of the best of the year, including all kinds of awards for the best products. However, the definition of “best” varies greatly from one medium to another, and what may be a mediocre device for some may be a genius for others. Let’s take the Nokia G22 as an example , a device that has probably gone unnoticed by many Spanish consumers; but for Time magazine, it is one of the most innovative recently launched.
Such praise, coming from such a pillar of the industry, may seem surprising; The Nokia of today bears little resemblance to the one that those of us who have been using mobile phones for a few years remember.
In fact, in its day “Nokia” was synonymous with “mobile” ; whereas today it is a simple name that has been bought and sold a couple of times and is now printed on the boxes of cheap and unexciting mobile phones. But there are exceptions, of course.
The most innovative Nokia
One of those exceptions was the Nokia G22, which has been considered by the prestigious Time magazine as one of the 200 best inventions of the year . And it’s not a joke, nor does it show ignorance on the part of Time’s team of journalists. This mobile phone may not have the advances in Artificial Intelligence of the Pixel 8 , nor the folding screens of the Galaxy Z Fold 5 , much less the raw power of the iPhone 15 Pro . But it surpasses all those mobile phones in an aspect that is already fundamental for many users: ease of repair .
Indeed, the reason why the Nokia G22 has made it to the list is because of its ‘repairability’. It is a mobile phone designed so that its components can be exchanged easily and with the minimum number of tools . For example, with only a screwdriver it is possible to change the components that break the most, such as the screen, the charging port, or the battery.
The Nokia G22 is a mobile phone ahead of its time , something that is already being noticed in recent market trends. More brands are promising that their phones last longer, instead of being designed to last a year until the next generation, as until not long ago. This same year, Samsung announced that users could now repair their own mobile phones in Spain , thanks to a partnership with iFixit specialists; and she is not the only one taking steps in that direction. Software also plays a role, with Google announcing 7 years of updates for its new Pixel 8.
Users are finally realizing the big problem of electronic waste, and steps have been taken to reduce it; and the European Union is largely to blame for forcing manufacturers to provide them. It was thanks to the European Commission that the iPhone finally uses a USB-C connection , with the aim of eliminating the number of chargers and cables that end up in landfills. And in the same way, this same year the European Parliament voted in favor of an initiative that will force manufacturers to facilitate battery replacement ; The next smartphones will have to eliminate access restrictions to this component, the one that wears out the most with use.
The Nokia G22 allows that and much more, and that’s why it makes sense that Time has considered it a “great invention”; although it is not the only similar product by any means. This year the Fairphone 5 was also launched in Spain , a mobile phone that, in addition to being easy to repair and offering access to separate components, promises eight years of system updates.
