Nokia 7 Has 16 MegaPixel f/1.8 Aperture Carl Zeiss Camera, Priced at $377 USD

The ability to take a "Bothie" capture or a split-screen shot taken using the front camera and rear shooter is one of the key features of the flagship-level Nokia 8 Android handset by HMD Global.

Many consumers seem to be interested in it but the thing is, Nokia 8 isn't particularly the most affordable smartphone out there. Hence, currently, only high-end consumers can experience it on a Nokia-branded device.

HMD Global - "The New Home of Nokia Phones" - apparently wants to change that.

Nokia 7, which has just been officially launched in China, has this "Bothie" feature but - as its name suggests - it's not as expensive as the Nokia 8.

For me, though, there are three things that I find particularly attractive about this model.

First, it has a 16 MegaPixel PDAF camera with a good f/1.8 aperture for enhanced low light performance, Dual Tone LED flash, and - get this - Carl Zeiss lens! Just from studying the specs of this snapper, I'm almost certain that it can give us some of the best images taken using a mid-level device this 2017. I hope the cameraphone delivers.

Second, the handset also comes with Nokia OZO Audio recording capability for a more immersive or realistic audio experience that's better than stereo.

And finally, it has this downright handsome body that's crafted from anodized 7000 Series Aluminum and 3D Gorilla Glass for a more contoured, unibody feel in the hand. I mean, just look at the photos. I can't wait to have this in my hand.

Donning an official suggested retail price of CNY 2,499 or $377 USD (Php 19,400) for the 4GB RAM version, and CNY 2,699 or $407 USD (Php 20,910) for the variant with 6GB of RAM, Nokia 7 Android smartphone is equipped with a 5.2-inch Full HD IPS display that's protected by Gorilla Glass 3, 5 MP front cam with f/2.0 aperture, and a non-removable 3,000 mAh battery pack with 18W fast charge feature.

The phone runs its near-vanilla Android 7.1.1 Nougat operating system (with Android 8.0 Nougat upgrade in the timeline) using Qualcomm Snapdragon 630 processor. As for connectivity, it supports WiFi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 5.0, Dual SIM Dual Standby, and 4G LTE Cat6.

As of writing, we haven't heard from HMD Philippines on Nokia 7's availability in the Philippines -- but I certainly hope that they'd bring this one here. I'm particularly interested in the 4GB model as I think it can do well in our market due to its fairly wallet-friendly price tag.