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Nokia 9 PureView won't get Android 11. HMD says to buy a new Nokia instead.
- HMD Global has confirmed it has canceled the Nokia 9 Android 11 update.
- The phone will continue to receive security updates, but it won’t see any future Android versions.
- To compensate, HMD is offering Nokia 9 users a discount on a different Nokia phone.
The Nokia 9 PureView was the closest thing to a premium Android flagship we’ve seen from HMD Global since it acquired the Nokia smartphone brand. That phone launched in 2019 with a promise of three Android version upgrades: Android 9 Pie, Android 10, and Android 11. It has received Android 10.
However, the Nokia 9 Android 11 upgrade is not coming. In a statement on its official website, HMD says this as an explanation:
Incompatibilities between the camera and the software would have led to a compromised experience that does not meet our high standards.
The problems related to the camera — a unique penta-lens system — probably stem from the fact that the company that co-developed the system is now out of the smartphone game. Without that company’s assistance, HMD probably faced a tough (and likely expensive) process of getting a Nokia 9 Android 11 upgrade ready. It’s possible HMD decided it wasn’t worth the effort/cost.
To be clear, the Nokia 9 PureView will still receive security patches for the rest of its promised schedule. It will just permanently remain on Android 10.
We have reached out to HMD Global to get a more thorough explanation of this news. We will update this if and when we hear back.
No Nokia 9 Android 11 upgrade, but here’s a discount code
It’s clear from the company’s statement that HMD Global isn’t taking this decision lightly. To help soften the blow, HMD is offering current Nokia 9 PureView users a 50% discount code on a newer Nokia device: the Nokia XR20.
To get the discount, you just need to head here and give HMD some info about your Nokia 9. You’ll get a discount code in your email.
However, getting a discounted Nokia XR20 isn’t really an adequate replacement for a Nokia 9 Android 11 upgrade. The XR20 and the Nokia 9 are wildly different phones. While there are likely folks out there who would like both, there are very likely more people who wouldn’t care to have an XR20 as a replacement for a flagship device.
Additionally, who’s to say the XR20 (or any other HMD Global phone) won’t have the same problem happen in the future? We’ve also asked HMD about what promises it plans to make to consumers that this Nokia 9 Android 11 problem won’t happen again, so we’ll update this if and when it responds.