Nokia is evolving, just backwards. While other manufacturers are trying to copy Apple’s four-year major updates, Nokia out here goes out abandoning a flagship phone.
The Nokia 9 PureView isn’t the best flagship all around. Many reviewers have panned the phone for its awful camera system, an unusual caveat for Nokia as usually if they make phones centering around the camera, it’s usually mindblowing and top-tier. Take the Nokia Lumia 1020 for example.
The phone is also pretty much dead-on-arrival, as it had an outdated design when it came out, using the tall 18:9 display when others started using notches (although, a good move on their end). Now it’s getting more ill-fated as the phone won’t be getting Android 11. What’s worse, Counterpoint had awarded Nokia for being the fastest in terms of software updates, so users who wanted longevity trusted the brand for this reason.
The reason why getting an update is a big deal is because Nokia/HMD is part of the Android One program. This program brings clean Android with three years of fresh security and at least two major updates on handsets that support it. Nokia 9 PureView is, unfortunately, a flagship, and can support Android 11. The company has blamed it on the awful camera performance as a reason for backing out in the Android 11 update.
Instead of an update, Nokia insists its users just buy a new phone and is offering a 50% discount code for every user who bought the Nokia 9 PureView to buy something like the Nokia XR20, which is incomparable to the Nokia 9 PureView in every way. “Incompatibilities between the camera and the software would have led to a compromised experience that does not meet our high standards,” they said in their statement.
The manufacturer who made Nokia’s camera system is called Light. They were a startup but after their awful reception of the 17-camera-array phone and the Nokia 9 PureView, they have quit the photography game and is probably a reason why the Nokia 9 PureView would have problems if the phone did receive Android 11. The phone will still get security updates nonetheless
While these reasons may be reasonable, customers are seeing it as Nokia profiting off Nokia 9 users. The Nokia XR20 is a midranger, an ENTRY LEVEL budget at that, while the Nokia 9 is a flagship device. The two are far off and keeping the Nokia 9 PureView is a more ideal choice, unless you wanted to experience 5G but sacrifice everything else.
Source: Nokia, Android Authority, The Verge
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