Nokia smartphones serve first slice of Android 9 Pie

HMD Global, the home of Nokia phones, has announced that Android 9 is now available for the Nokia 6.1 Plus via Nokia phones beta labs. This follows the Nokia 7 Plus, which was the first smartphone running on Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 to globally roll out the Android 9 Pie late September.
According to HMD Global Chief Product Marketing Officer Juho Sarvikas, “To further solidify our leadership and commitment to Android One and fast platform updates for our fans, we are happy to announce that the Nokia 6.1 Plus is the first smartphone globally to offer Android Pie on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 Mobile Platform via our Nokia phones beta labs.”
He adds, “This is our first beta version of Android 9 for the Nokia 6.1 Plus early adopters. Over the coming weeks, we will be working together with our fast-growing community of beta testers to ensure uncompromised quality ahead of general release. We welcome all feedback from our fans and thank them for their enthusiasm and passion in testing early versions of the most up-to-date Android.”

HMD Global Country Manager for the Philippines Shannon Mead said, “We are truly proud to deliver this great news to all Filipino Nokia fans as we ensure a pure, secure and up-to-date Android experience through the new generation of the Nokia smartphones. In fact, Nokia mobile is at 50 percent Android uptake compared with the industry rate of 10 percent. We would like to share with our fans that all current models in the Android One family will get the Android Pie. This is also timely as we have just launched the Nokia 6.1 Plus locally last week.”
Nokia phones beta labs is designed to give early adopters a chance to shape experiences on new platforms and offer direct feedback. HMD Global has more than 86,000 fans who have signed up to test and refine the latest software updates ahead of official release.
With its all-screen design and Full HD+ and 19:9 screen ratio, the Nokia 6.1 Plus gives users a bigger screen experience in a slim and compact package.
It is encased in glass on the front and back, with the glass taking up approximately 93 percent of the phone’s luxuriously curved surface. Besides its elegant look, the Nokia 6.1 Plus comes with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 Mobile Platform under the hood. This platform is 40 percent faster than the previous iteration of the chipset, with a promise of delivering first-class graphics and battery efficiency enhancements to ensure you can enjoy your audio and video longer.

Now, with early access to Android 9 on the Nokia 6.1 Plus in beta labs, fans can try out a whole new set of features, including App Actions, an exclusive feature to Android One devices and Google Pixel phones.
Filipino Nokia fans can avail of the exclusive pre-order promo for the Nokia 6.1 Plus. From October 12 to 26, every reservation made at authorized Nokia resellers or any Nokia mobile branded store, kiosk, or exhibit nationwide entitles consumers to receive P1,000 worth of Philippine Airlines (PAL) travel vouchers which can be used for domestic flights.
Key features of Android 9

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• App Actions – Helps you get things done faster by predicting your next move and displaying the right action on your phone
• Slices – Identifies relevant information on your favorite apps to make them more easily accessible when you need them
• Adaptive Battery ​– Uses deep learning to understand usage patterns and prioritize battery power on important apps
• Adaptive Brightness ​– Automatically adapts phone brightness by learning from your interactions with different settings
• New System Navigation​– Features a single home button that provides intelligent predictions and suggestions (user-enabled)

Digital Wellbeing features available beginning September 2018

• Dashboard – Highlights screen time and phone usage, including how many times device has been unlocked and number of notifications received
• App Timers ​– Sets time limits on app usage
• Wind Down and Do Not Disturb ​– Set a daily schedule to get your phone ready for bed. Your screen fades to grayscale, while Do Not Disturb silences notifications for a restful sleep. You can activate Do Not Disturb anytime you want to disconnect.

Join the Nokia 6.1 Plus beta labs rollout. Visit Nokia phones beta labs and register yourself for the update.