Nokia 8 misses out on Android Q (10) update despite having a capable processor

Google announced the first beta version of Android Q on March 13, 2019, and the final beta release in early August 2019. The stable version isn’t expected until late August/early September 2019 and just yesterday, Google dropped the bombshell that no one saw coming.

Beginning with the successor to Android 9 Pie, the search giant will no longer use dessert names for future Android OS naming. This means that for the incoming update, we only get Android 10. That’s it.

Well, for the many who have enjoyed the guessing games every year after Google releases the beta version and the few who expected Android Q to adopt names like Android Quaresma or Android Quagliarella will be quite disappointed by this move.

Sure, Google has yet to begin rolling out the stable version of Android 10. However, the search giant already made its intentions clear that the OS will be accompanied by the September 2019 security patch when it arrives. If anything, this implies the rollout will begin next month.

Huawei was the first non-Google OEM to announce its Android 10 plans. It has since been revealed that the beta version of the OS with EMUI 10 on top will first hit the Huawei P30 and P30 Pro beginning September 8, but we don’t know when the stable version will arrive.

Soon after Google revealed more details about the naming of the upcoming Android OS, HMD Global took to Twitter to unveil the Nokia Android 10 update roadmap. The Finnish company already had the Nokia 8.1 taking part in the program and in fact, the public beta (OTA) is now available.

With all Nokia phones running Android One, it wasn’t surprising that HMD was this quick to make public its Android 10 release plans. The company begins rolling out the stable version (presumably) in Q4 2019 to the Nokia 8.1, Nokia 7.1, and Nokia 9 PureView.

These will then be followed by the Nokia 6.1, Nokia 6.1 Plus and Nokia 7 Plus somewhere between Q4 2019 and Q1 2020. During the latter quarter, the update to Android 10 will be pushed to the Nokia 4.2, Nokia 3.2, Nokia 3.1 Plus, Nokia 2.2, Nokia 8 Sirocco, Nokia 1 Plus, and Nokia 5.1 Plus.

The last Nokia phones to switch to Android 10 will be the Nokia 5.1, Nokia 3.1, Nokia 2.1 and Nokia 1, the latter two expected to receive an Android Go-based version of the OS. Undoubtedly, HMD is doing some great stuff, but you might have noticed some notable ommissions as well.

From the list, the first-generation Nokia phones are missing in action. The Nokia 3, Nokia 5, Nokia 6, and Nokia 8 are not represented and this is because they are past their software support window as far as Android OS upgrades are concerned.

Android One devices are usually guaranteed at least two Android OS updates. The fact that the first-gen Nokia phones weren’t even Android One devices means HMD has, in fact, done an exceptional job giving the devices two OS upgrades.

Perhaps the likes of Nokia 3, Nokia 5 and Nokia 6 missing out on Android 10 is understandable, but what will be hard to fathom for owners of the Nokia 8 is why the device shouldn’t just be upgraded to Android 10.

For starters, its a flagship device and as we noted earlier, Nokia has been struggling in the flagship segment. Perhaps pushing Android 10 to this device would be a boon for the company as it looks to make a mark in this segment.

Secondly, Nokia 8 has the same processor as the Nokia 8 Sirocco, a device that appears on the Nokia Android 10 roadmap. Sure, it could be argued that the latter is only but receiving its second major OS upgrade having debuted with Android Oreo and not Nougat like the Nokia 8.

But the fact that they share the same chipset should make it easy to port the Android 10 software on the Nokia 8 Sirocco to work on the standard Nokia 8. If anything, HMD is simply choosing against this in the name of supporting “at least two Android OS upgrades.”

Last but not least, Google will be updating the Snapdragon 821-powered Pixel and Pixel XL to the latest Android 10. This chipset is a generation older than the Snapdragon 835 used in the Nokia 8 yet the search giant is okay updating the aged devices.

The fact that the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL that share the same chipset as the Nokia 8 are also receiving the update also means that Nokia 8 missing out on Android 10 has nothing to do with hardware.

Lastly, OnePlus 5 and 5T are also scheduled to get updates to Android 10, their third major OS upgrade, so why not Nokia 8? Again, its just a decision that HMD has taken and surely, many will be left disappointed by this seemingly looking planned obsolescence of the Nokia 8.

Hopefully, HMD will change their mind and at some point update the Nokia 8 to Android 10, but until the company actually confirms this, it remains a dream that may never come true.

NOTE: You can check out more Nokia-related coverage on this page.

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