After doing an amazing job spreading the Android Pie love across its Nokia-branded smartphone portfolio back in 2018 and delivering a high number of relatively fast Android 10 updates in late 2019 and early 2020, HMD Global appears to have dropped the ball on its Android 11 rollout for some reason.
The Finland-based company, which took over the marketing and distribution of the struggling Nokia handset business in late 2016, was unable to bring a single Android-powered device up to date before 2020 ended, needing another solid month to start replacing the previous OS version on the otherwise impressive upper mid-range 8.3 5G.
Making matters worse, that was the only Nokia phone upgraded to Android 11 in February, and surprisingly enough, the low-end 3.2 followed suit in March. It’s now April, so it makes sense for the list to expand, and for what it’s worth, HMD is simultaneously kicking off two different over-the-air software deliveries at the same time.
The entry-level Nokia 2.3, released at the very end of 2019 with a MediaTek Helio A22 processor inside, and 2018’s mid-end Nokia 8.1, also known as the X7, are both receiving their long-awaited Android 11 goodie packs in a number of “Wave 1” markets today.
If you live in one of the countries listed here or here, it’s important to keep in mind that only 10 percent of “these approved markets” will actually get the updates “immediately”, with everyone else having to wait until April 10 or 12. That’s not too far on the horizon, but of course, the two devices are available in many other regions not included in this first wave rollout.
The Nokia 2.3, for instance, was one of HMD’s most affordable Android smartphones ever released stateside, and alas, US-based owners have to continue playing the waiting game for an unspecified period of time.
Meanwhile, the Snapdragon 710-powered Nokia 8.1 was never officially brought to US shores, but the handset’s name reminds us Verizon’s Nokia 8 V 5G UW is still stuck running Android 10.
