Nokia 9 PureView will not get Android 11 but its users can upgrade to Nokia XR20 at half price

Nokia 9 PureView will not receive Android 11, HMD Global has announced. The flagship phone from 2019 has become the first not to stick to the company's two-year upgrade cycle for Android versions. The phone last year received Android 10 software, but this time HMD cited compatibility issues as reasons behind the unfortunate decision. Nokia 9 PureView users, however, can experience Android 11 through HMD's compensatory offer under which they can buy the Nokia XR20 at 50 per cent off.

"...we had to make the tough decision not to offer an Android 11 software upgrade for the Nokia 9 PureView smartphone. Incompatibilities between the camera and software would lead to a reduction in user experience, which would not meet our high standards," said HMD Global on its Nokia 9 PureView support page. It also mentioned the new offer for the existing Nokia 9 PureView users.

So, users of the Nokia 9 PureView can go for a new phone instead of waiting for the Android 11 update for their phone. Under the offer, which is available in India and several other countries, you will have to provide your email address and the IMEI number of the Nokia 9 PureView unit you own. After validation of the IMEI number, HMD will send you an email with instructions on how you can use the offer.

The offer states that you get a 50 per cent discount on the Nokia XR20, which means that you pay only Rs 23,499, instead of the original price of Rs 46,999. And the best part is that you get to keep your Nokia 9 PureView unit, which HMD said will keep receiving security updates until it reaches the end of life. Nokia XR20 comes with Android 11 preloaded, while it will soon get an Android 12 software update.

HMD is yet to launch the successor of the Nokia 9 PureView, or at least a phone that brings flagship features. But since HMD already seems done with the Nokia 9 PureView, the chances look bleak now.

Nokia 9 PureView was the company's first flagship phone that came with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor. Its biggest highlight is the Penta-lens camera, all featuring 12-megapixel sensors with ZEISS technology. Nokia XR20, on the other hand, is the company's most rugged phone that comes with 5G, military-grade durability, and high-quality water and dust resistance, but is low on specifications.