Nokia launches hole-punch display-toting X71

Nokia is taking on the hole-punch display trend with its newest Android One phone. The brand’s licensee HMD Global just launched in Taiwan the X71. Aside from the new 6.39-inch display, the X71 is a camera-centric phone with a Zeiss-branded triple-camera system. It has a 48-megapixel main sensor, 8-megapixel wide sensor, and 5-megapixel depth sensor. The hole-punch houses a 16-megapixel selfie shooter. It runs on a Snapdragon 660 processor, 6GB of RAM, 128GB of expandable storage, and a 3,500mAh battery.

It’s priced at around US$385 (around CA$510) and pits it against the $490 Huawei Nova 4 and $203 Redmi Note 7 Pro, which both carry the same Sony 48-megapixel sensor. It’s rumoured to be getting a global release under the name Nokia 8.1 Plus.

Source: Engadget

MWC 2019: Nokia 9 PureView brings 5 rear camera setup to the masses

In terms of novelty, HMD Global has the upper hand now in the smartphone space. It has this new five-camera setup at the back that reminds us of spider eyes. It looks like there are seven lenses but the one spot is for the flash, while the other is for a time-of-flight sensor for depth mapping. The five cameras we do get include three 12-megapixel monochrome cameras and two 12-megapixel RGB sensors, all f/1.8, 28mm lenses. 

These extra sensors aren't meant to be used for extra zoom levels. Instead, these are designed to capture a big amount of data for HDR and depth-based photography. It'll allow you to edit depth after the fact, even when using Google Photos' depth editing feature.

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HMD releases Android Pie release schedule for Nokia phones

HMD Global has consistently been releasing the latest Android updates for its phones. The company just announced on Twitter which phones will be getting the update. And this batch are promised to receive Android Pie by early Q2 2019, at the latest. Five of the company’s Nokia phones already have the update (Nokia 7 Plus, 6.1, 6.1 Plus, 7.1, and 5.1 Plus), while two of them (Nokia 8 Sirocco and 8) are listed as ongoing. The Nokia 5 and 3.1 Plus are expected to get the update this month. The Nokia 6, 5.1, 3.1, and 2.1 are lined up for a Q1 2019 release, while the Nokia 3 and 1 are expected to get the update in early Q2 of this year. Unfortunately, the Nokia 2 doesn’t seem like it’s getting the update—or at least not in the immediate future. And it must be noted that while roadmaps are a good guide, these aren’t definitive timelines. But things might fare better with HMD as the company has shown it’s kept to its promise.

Source: The Verge

Leaked promo video teases the Nokia 9 PureView

What can a penta-camera smartphone do? We’re not sure yet but it’s coming. HMD Global’s newest Nokia smartphone gets teased in a leaked a promo video that showcases its big features. One of the most talked about ones in the Nokia 9 PureView is the five-camera setup. What each sensor can do isn’t known yet but the video shows that it can take portrait mode shots with adjustable bokeh and you can change focus after taking the shot. It also has a night mode that promises the phone can capture 10x more light than other smartphones. The Nokia 9 PureView can also take photos using all the cameras at once.

Aside from this, the smartphone is said to feature a notch-less 5.99-inch 2K (QHD) PureDisplay with HDR10 support, Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, 6GB of RAM, and 128GB internal storage. The Nokia 9 PureView also packs in an in-display fingerprint scanner. It’ll reportedly support wireless charging and will run on Android One based on Android 9. The phone is expected to launch at the end of January.

Source: GSMArena