Google had a Nokia N9 up in the middle of their booth at CES 2019, and we only noticed it just now. What on earth was it doing there, and why did Google make no mention of its return in any press materials or announcements? As it turns out, we can make a few assumptions about the future of the device based on the phones around it. To the left and to the right are smartphones that run an operating system called KaiOS.
All eyes and ears may be on the ever elusive Nokia 9 and its penta-lens camera but it isn’t the only controversial one HMD Global may have in store. While initially slower to jump on new trends, the manufacturer has recently become quick to adopt not new technologies but new notches. The most recent, at least based on these renders, will be the Nokia 8.1 Plus. Unsurprisingly, it will be adopting that circular corner cutout that everyone seems to love to hate these days.
HMD Global has won many hearts and wallets with its revival of the Nokia phone brand. But while it has sold many smartphones, it admits it still doesn’t have one worthy of the flagship label. Yes, not even the super expensive Nokia 8 Sirocco. That, however, might finally be coming really soon with the Nokia 9 “PureView”, whose high-end specs and features may have just been confirmed by a leaked promo video for the device.
HMD Global has become quite the poster boy for being a good Android OEM, preferring to use vanilla Android, Android One if possible even, and pushing out updates as fast as it can. While it’s Android Pie update hasn’t exactly been speedy, it has still arrived earlier than those from companies bigger than it. And although it’s too late for Christmas, HMD Global is giving Nokia 5.1 Plus owners a slightly late gift of Pie and more.
There’s little doubt that HMD Global has successfully revived the Nokia brand singlehandedly. But despite being popular and doing well in the mid-range market, HMD Global has yet to launch what almost all could agree on to be its high-end flagship. That would have been the Nokia 9 if rumors and leaks are to be believed. Unfortunately, if those rumors are also correct, then that’s also the reason why we won’t be seeing it until early next year.
The trends are in, and we've got a pretty decent idea of the next big smartphones from device makers in 2019. The features you're going to want to watch out for are only slightly different from what came in 2018 - and we're pretty much set on what the phones will look like already. What's it going to take for you to get a deal on a smartphone in 2019?
A budget phone with the newest version of Android onboard right out the box - that shouldn't be a surprise, but it is. Today the Nokia 8.1 was revealed as a global phone, complete with an Android One version of Android Pie. This device has a 6.18-inch display with Full HD+ resolution and an "edge-to-edge" design.
It seems that HMD Global is truly being faithful to Nokia’s spirit in legacy, especially in naming its phones. While it still doesn’t have as many, it is already well on its way to achieving a confusing and almost inconsistent naming scheme. Last month, it launched the Nokia X7 in China and was expected to launch it as the Nokia 7.1 Plus globally. The joke’s on us, then, because it seems it will be called the Nokia 8.1 instead.
Smartphones seem to be getting crazier and crazier, perhaps as an attempt to keep users excited and interested in them. From bezel-less notched screens to triple cameras to sliding or elevating cameras to foldable screens, you think you’ve seen it all. That is, until you’ve laid eyes on the Nokia 9, or at least what it’s believed to be. The smartphone, which supposedly has not three not even four but five lenses, all on its back, is now tipped to debut sooner than originally intended. All thanks to the media hype around it.
The Nokia 9 - or whatever it'll be called - was leaked today in a set of hyper-realistic renderings. A set of leaked CAD drawings of the next Nokia phone were leaked to the creator of the images you're about to behold. Given the track record of this creator, we have no reason to believe these are anything less than a 3rd-party-rendered set of views of the real deal, coming later this year or in early 2019.
Almost just like the old days, HMD Global seems to be keen on flooding the market with a dozen or so Nokia phones. For better or for worse, not all of those make it to the US market. You can count the Nokia 7.1 as one of those few that have reached the shores. And while it might not be the high-end Nokia flagship that some Android fans might still be anticipating, it definitely hits that sweet spot as far as price and features go.
Huawei has just unloaded its not two but three Mate 20 flagship phones but not everyone might be interested in such a high-end device. Not to mention able to afford its equally high-end price tag. For those with simpler needs and simpler budgets, HMD Global has finally announced the Nokia X7 plus, its newest and so far greatest mid-range offering. And while that model might be limited to China, it does hint that an Android One version might not be that far behind.