The Nokia 9 PureView is another sorry chapter in Google's failed Android One program

HMD Global launched the Nokia 9 PureView in 2019 running Android 9.0 Pie. In August 2020, the company announced that the device would be one of its last to receive Android 11, along with the Nokia 1 Plus. Initially, the company claimed that the Nokia 9 PureView would remain on Android 10 until Q2 2021, which has well and truly passed.

HMD Global has been quiet since, but its Polish subsidiary has confirmed that the Nokia 9 PureView will never receive Android 11. In place of two Android updates, Nokia is providing 'a unique offer' for Nokia 9 PureView owners by way of a 50% discount on the Nokia X10, Nokia X20 or the Nokia XR20. All have significantly worse hardware than the Nokia 9 PureView, for reference.

Supposedly, HMD Global and Nokia cannot upgrade the Nokia 9 PureView to Android 11. Allegedly, the teams ran into the following issues:

...we had to make the difficult decision not to offer a software upgrade to Android 11 for the Nokia 9 PureView smartphone. Incompatibilities between the camera and the software would lead to a deterioration in the user experience, which would not meet our high standards.

The statement adds that the Nokia 9 PureView will continue to receive security patch updates. However, HMD Global and Nokia are only obliged to provide monthly security updates for three years after the device's initial release. Hence, HMD Global may drop Nokia 9 PureView support completely in March 2022 at the latest.

Sadly, nothing has improved since we discussed the shambolic nature of Android One last year. In our opinion, Nokia's announcement is another nail in the coffin for the program, which only lives on through the Nokia 5.3, Nokia 6.2, Nokia 7.2 and Nokia 8.3. Ultimately, HMD Global's decision to abandon Android One for newer devices like the Nokia G50 suggests that Android One is in its death throes.

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