HMD Global, the brand behind recent Nokia phones, has used IFA 2022 to announce a variety of new gadgets and a new subscription service for some of them that focuses on sustainability. Nokia Circular is a new service designed to cut down on e-waste by leasing you a handset for a period of time and recycling the product at the end of its lifecycle. The scheme is first launching in the United Kingdom and Germany, but HMD Global intends to bring it to other markets soon.

The idea behind Circular is that you’re leasing a smartphone directly from HMD Global for a monthly fee. It intends for you to keep your phone for longer than you typically would. When you are done with the phone, you’ll be easily able to upgrade to a new version with HMD Global, either recycling or donating your existing handset to another cause.

While subscribed, you’ll be enrolled in a scheme called from the company called Seeds of Tomorrow. Throughout, you’ll earn “seeds” that can be spent on donating to good causes. The longer you keep your device, the more seeds you’ll earn that can be spent on three charities for initiatives to tackle environmental issues. Those charities are planting trees with Ecologi, clearing plastic from rivers with ClearRivers, and helping bring technology to those who don’t have it through a charity called Unconnected.

We’ve yet to find out how much these donations will be, and how long it’ll take you to earn these “seeds” for you to spend. “We are taking full responsibility for the entire lifecycle of our phones,” says Florian Seiche, CEO of HMD Global. "Not just making sure they last longer in the hands of our fans, which has always been a core part of our product design process, but also through manufacture, reuse and recycling.”

Circular starts with four devices in the UK for a range of prices, each with a £30 setup fee. The new Nokia G60 5G costs £12.50 a month, the X30 5G costs £25 a month, the XR20 costs £20 a month, and the new Nokia T10 tablet is involved for £10 per month.

The Nokia X30 5G as seen at IFA 2022

Three of those devices are new additions to Nokia’s lineup of products, with the X30 5G taking the top spot. The X30 5G is already focused on environmental issues with a recycled aluminum frame. The phone features a 6.43-inch Full HD+ display, a Snapdragon 695 chipset, a 4,200mAh battery, and a 50MP PureView camera. The new Nokia G60 5G features the same chipset with a 6.58-inch Full HD+ display, a different 50MP camera, and a 4,500mAh battery.

HMD Global has also launched a new affordable phone called the Nokia C31 with a 6.7-inch display and a 13MP primary camera. Plus, there’s a new tablet from the company called the Nokia T21 that features a 10.3-inch 2K display, an 8MP rear camera, an 8,200mAh battery, and Android 12 software.

HMD Global also confirmed two new audio products in its lineup; the Clarity Earbuds 2 Pro and the Portable Wireless Speaker 2. We’ve yet to hear whether any of these devices will arrive in the US as these are currently European-aimed releases.

Circular is an interesting idea, and it may build into an alternative for those whose priority is the environment instead of owning the latest technology. HMD Global’s selection of products here doesn’t include a flagship device, so it’s unlikely to turn you away from the best Android phones. That said, it may become a solid alternative in a market that’s currently dominated by the Fairphone 4.