Rumors about HMD Global’s next-gen flagship Nokia 9 have been circulating around for months. The ever-reliable Twitter tipster Evan Blass recently revealed that it would be called Nokia 9 PureView. Blass’s post also included an image showing off five rear cameras on the device. Yes, five cameras! The device seems to be just around the corner. It was previously rumored to debut in time for the 2018 holiday shopping season, but didn’t.
https://twitter.com/evleaks/status/1079552711081816064
It’s not entirely out of the realm of possibility, though. Android vendors have been rushing to pack as many rear cameras on their devices as they can. Huawei and LG Electronics have launched flagship phones with triple cameras on the back. Samsung recently released Galaxy A9 with four lenses on the back. So, you shouldn’t be surprised to see five cameras on the back of Nokia 9 PureView. Nokia will continue to use Zeiss lenses on the new phone.
Now folks at MySmartPrice have shared a promotional video showing off the Nokia 9 PureView’s design, camera, and specs. The camera is going to be its biggest highlight. You’ll notice seven holes on the back of the device – five of which are for the camera lenses, one for the LED flash, and one houses the sensors. It will be interesting to see how the penta-lens setup enhances the photography. Much of the improvement will depend on the software’s ability to process all the data and put it together in a single image.
According to the video, Nokia 9 PureView will be capable of taking five simultaneous shots, which will result in “10x more light captured” compared to other camera sensors. The setup will likely use computational photography to combine different shots for crisper and brighter images. It will offer better low-light photography experience. Users will also be able to re-focus images after clicking them. Of course, you will enjoy unlimited free storage in Google Photos.
Nokia 9 PureView is going to be so 2018
In all other aspects, it will be like a 2018 phone rather than a 2019 device. As per the promotional video, it would run Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 845 processor with 6GB RAM and 128GB of internal storage. That’s quite surprising because in just a few months the market will be flooded with premium Android phones running the next-gen Snapdragon 855 chipset.
Its design will be similar to Nokia 8 Sirocco. The device would have thick bezels at the top and bottom. In contrast, Samsung, OnePlus, Huawei, and other vendors are pushing for a nearly bezel-less design. The Nokia 9 PureView would sport a 5.99-inch “2K PureDisplay” and an in-display fingerprint sensor that will allow users to unlock the device by putting their finger on the screen.
The device will be part of Google’s Android One program, meaning it will run the stock version of Android 9 Pie out of the box. No bloatware. HMD Global is said to offer two years of software updates and security patches. The video suggests it will use the stock Android camera app rather than Nokia’s own camera app. The phone will support Qi wireless charging, but there is no word on its battery capacity.
Rumored price and release date
HMD Global will revive the PureView branding with the upcoming flagship. It reclaimed the PureView trademark from Microsoft in August last year. Considering the device has not much going for it except the camera, its success will largely depend on the price. If it is priced above $800, consumers will think twice before buying it because there will be tons of options with newer processors and slimmer bezels.
According to Twitter tipster @LeaksNokia, HMD Global will launch a successor to the Nokia 9 PureView in August this year. It would feature the new Snapdragon 855 processor, 5G support, five cameras, and “2K true edge-to-edge display with camera hole.” But that device is still several months away.
Nokia 9 PureView launch planned January 3rd-4th week, First released in Europe. Price – EUR 749/EUR799 depending upon markets. #Nokia #nokia9pureview
— Nokia_Leaks (@LeaksNokia) January 2, 2019
Nokia 9 PureView successor with Snapdragon 855 planned tentatively in August 2019. 5G support, Penta-Lens camera, 2K display true edge-to-edge display with camera hole. @Nokiapoweruser #Nokia #Nokia9PureView
— Nokia_Leaks (@LeaksNokia) January 2, 2019
The same tipster claims the Nokia 9 PureView is set to release in the third or fourth week of January. If it turns out to be true, the device should go on sale in European markets in February, well ahead of the Mobile World Congress (MWC) where Samsung is expected to unveil its Galaxy S10 flagship. The device would cost EUR749 or EUR799 depending on the market. The MWC is set to begin on February 25th.
