Announced at IFA 2019 together with the rugged Nokia 800 Tough, the budget Nokia 110, Nokia 6.2 and Nokia 7.2, the Nokia 2720 Flip is the second KaiOS phone to be released under the HMD-era as a successor to the bananaphone Nokia 8110 4G. This phone brings back the flip design inspired by the original Nokia 2720 Fold (2007) that many people loved, mixing it with 4G LTE connectivity and access to modern services such as WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, Google Maps and YouTube.
The phone also features:
- a big 2.8-inch main screen and an external 1.3-inch screen for displaying time, incoming calls and text notifications
- large T9 keys for easier typing & support for adding custom words to T9 dictionary
- SOS emergency side button: double-press or hold to send current location and call preset contacts for assistance
- battery life that lasts up to a week on 4G standby
- with the latest OTA update: WhatsApp audio call support to stay connected with friends and family members
However, as with other KaiOS devices, it also features general bugs and performance hiccups, notably group text on sent wouldn't automatically convert to MMS making the text being sent to each individual in the chat, and system hanging at times.
Overall plastic build material and hinge design are also hardware issues to consider when using the 2720 Flip in long-term. It's recommended to get a case and screen protection for this phone wherever possible.
- Nokia 2720 Flip review: proof you can't opt out of the smartphone generation by The Verge
- Review: Nokia 2720 Flip by NokiaMob, with demo on the SOS emergency feature
- Nokia 2720 Flip review by PhoneArena
- Nokia 2720 Flip, first thoughts on r/dumbphones
- Nokia 2720 Flip (2019) reviews and some hacks on r/KaiOS
- Thinking out on buying a Nokia 2720 flip for using it as a daily driver on r/KaiOS
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| Nokia 2720 Flip (nokia-beatles) | |
| Released | 5 September 2019 (IFA 2019) |
| Model | TA-1168, TA-1170, TA-1173, TA-1175 |
| Specifications | |
| SoC | Qualcomm MSM8905 Snapdragon 205 (2 x 1.1Ghz Cortex-A7) |
| RAM | 512MB LPDDR2/3 |
| GPU | Adreno 304 |
| Storage | 4GB eMMC 4.5 (+ up to 32GB microSDHC card) |
| Network | 2G GSM, 3G UMTS, 4G LTE Cat4 150/50Mbps + EU: band 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20 + MENA, APAC, GCR: band 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38/41 (120MHz), 39, 40 VoLTE & VoWiFi support Single or Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual standby) |
| Screen | Main: 320x240 @ 143 PPI, 2.8in QVGA TFT LCD 256K colors External: 240x240 @ 261 PPI, 1.3in TFT LCD |
| Bluetooth | 4.1, A2DP, LE |
| Wi-Fi | 802.11b/g/n, Hotspot |
| Peripherals | - GPS & GLONASS - Dual microphones with noise cancellation |
| Camera | Rear: 2MP with fixed focus, LED flash |
| Dimensions (HWD) |
Open: 192.7 * 54.5 * 11.6 (mm) 7.59 * 2.15 * 0.46 (in) Closed: 104.8 * 54.5 * 18.7 (mm) |
| Weight | 118 g (4.16 oz) |
| Ports | - microUSB charging & USB 2.0 data transferring port - 3.5mm headphone jack |
| Specials | - SOS emergency/Assistant/Google side button - M4/T4 hearing aid compatibility |
| Battery | Removable Li-Ion 1500mAh (BL-6A) (BV-6A compatible) (up to 27 days of GSM standby advertised) |
| KaiOS info | |
| Version | KaiOS 2.5.2, upgradable to KaiOS 2.5.2.2 |
| Build no. | 10.00.17.07, 21.00.17.01, 22.00.17.01, 30.00.17.05, 40.00.17.02 |
¶ Before making the decision
BEWARE OF COUNTERFEIT DEVICES! Many KaiOS devices, such as the Nokia 8110 4G, 2720 Flip and 6300 4G are being sold at numerous tech stores and online sites for amazingly cheap prices; those turn out to be counterfeits and did not bring the experiences that people expected, and the store gets away with it as you wouldn't be able to get a refund.
To spot out the counterfeits:
- Brand-new KaiOS devices, even after their lifespan on the shelf, DON'T cost less than 60% of their original prices.
- HMD/Nokia Mobile DON'T sell any of their KaiOS devices in 2G only. KaiOS devices are required to have at least 3G, as 2G is being phased out in many places.
- Different packaging: 8110 4G and 2720 Flip comes in transparent plastic boxes with flaps on top and bottom, while 6300 4G comes in hard cardboard box. Also check advertising prints on the box for missing features, bad quality printing, weird grammar or letter spacing.
- Terrible build quality when comparing side-by-side. To quote u/cannotelaborate on Reddit:
- Build quality is horrific, the battery and SIM cards barely fit in [their trays].
- It takes only like 10 seconds to boot, shows KaiOS logo briefly, then plays the old Nokia chime.
- Speaker quality is awful.
- The buttons' faces are low quality and aren't flush with the overall surface, some of them are crooked as well.
- Remove the battery and look for suspicions with the printed information on the sticker, i.e. if the CODE is 23BTS70VN00, it is intended to sold in Vietnam only. You can also look for it in the OS by dialing *#0000#.
- If the user interface looks off with weird alignments and margins between elements, that's also a clue.
- Under all circumstances, all KaiOS 2.5 devices should have services like KaiStore installed by default.
- Browser is NOT Opera Mini 4.4. KaiOS does NOT run Java apps or MRE apps (sorry to retro gamers out there).
- If you have access to a computer, try connecting the phone to it and see if the actual phone storage is significantly less than advertised.
Remember, only buy from trusted, reputable sources, even if they have higher prices. That higher cost usually guarantees that you're buying a genuine device.
¶ Tips and tricks
- To take a screenshot, press both * and # keys simultaneously.
- On the home screen:
- Hold down the Up key to quickly toggle flashlight.
- Hold down either the Power button, Back or End call keys to trigger the Power menu.
- Hold down 1 to listen to voicemails.
- Hold down other number keys (2-9) to set up and activate Speed dial.
- Hold down 0 to quickly open Browser.
- Hold down * to quickly lock the phone.
- Hold down # to toggle between Ringer and Vibrate mode.
- You can set a GIF as your home screen wallpaper.
- To toggle the hidden Readout screen reader feature, press the Volume up and Volume down side buttons repeatedly for multiple times.
- KaiOS accounts are NOT mandatory for the phone' operations or downloading apps from KaiStore, but they can be set up under Settings > Accounts if you need them for Anti-Theft features.
¶ Secret codes
*#*#33284*#*#: Toggle debugging mode, allow the phone to be accessed with ADB and DevTools. A bug icon will appear in the status bar letting you know debugging mode is on. This mode can also be turned on under Settings > Device > Developer > Debugger > ADB and DevTools.*#06#: Display the IMEI(s).*#0000#: Display device information, such as firmware version, build date, model number, variant and CUID.
¶ Special boot modes
- Recovery mode: With the device powered off, hold both Power/End call and Volume up keys, or type
adb reboot recoverywhen connected to a computer. Allows you to factory reset the device by wiping /data and /cache, view boot and kernel logs, and install patches fromadb sideloadinterface or SD card. - EDL mode: With the device powered off, hold the Power/End call and both side volume keys, or type
adb reboot edlwhen connected to a computer. Boots into a black screen, allows you to read and write partitions in low-level with proprietary Qualcomm tools. Remove the battery to exit.
You can also force reboot the phone by holding the Power/End call button and the Volume down key at any time.
EDL loader for this phone can be found on BananaHackers' EDL archive site with hardware ID 0x009600e100420029.
¶ Sideloading and debugging third-party applications
Do note that OmniSD, one of the methods used for on-device sideloading, requires the navigator.mozApps.mgmt.import API that has been removed on KaiOS 2.5.2.2 and later.