Release date of the Nokia 10, latest news, leaks, and rumors
Release date of the Nokia 10, latest news, leaks, and rumors
The Nokia 10 was rumored to launch in 2019 - judging by the fact that you're reading this in 2021, you can probably guess how that turned out. We haven't seen or heard anything official about this fabled device in two years.
Having said that, it now appears to be on the verge of being released, with a release date of sometime before November 11 - though it may launch as the Nokia X60 instead.
We've been anticipating a successor to the Nokia 9 PureView since its launch in early 2019, and as time passed, we'd begun to lose hope of seeing this rumored phone, so this development is encouraging.
The successor to the Nokia 9 PureView was rumored to be called the Nokia 9.2, or 9.3, but Nokia 10 was also mentioned, and thus, along with Nokia X60, they're all possibilities.
While Nokia is best known for its mid-range and budget phones, it does occasionally release a flagship, which is exactly what we're expecting the Nokia 10 to be: the company's new best phone.
The company's foray into 5G devices with the Nokia 8.3 5G resulted in a competent but uninspiring device; hopefully, the Nokia 10 will allow the company to demonstrate some cool new camera technology or other standout features.
If you're a Nokia fan or simply interested in all the rumored phones, we've compiled leaked information about the device below, along with a wish list of features we'd like to see.
Nokia 10 price and release date
According to the most recent release date rumor, the Nokia 10 (or Nokia X60, as it may be called) will launch before November 11. This appears to be a quote from an executive at HMD Global (the company that makes the phones), and thus may be accurate.
That corresponds to another rumor that the phone's release date had been pushed back to the second half of 2021. Having said that, previous release date rumors have come and gone, so none of this is guaranteed to be accurate.
Notably, the phone could launch as the Nokia 10, but as previously stated, we may also see the Nokia X60, Nokia 9.2 or Nokia 9.3, all of which are improved versions of the Nokia 9 PureView that was launched at MWC 2019.
Regarding pricing, the Nokia 9 PureView launched at a suggested retail price of $699 / £549 / AU$980, and we'd anticipate a new 'better' phone to cost at least that much, if not more. Having said that, unless it's a significant upgrade over the previous phone, we wouldn't expect it to cost significantly more.
Nokia 10, Nokia X60, Nokia 9.1, Nokia 9.2 or Nokia 9.3?
We're calling the new smartphone the Nokia 10, as the Nokia 9 was its predecessor. However, as mentioned previously, we've heard a few different names for the brand's upcoming smartphone.
Given the brand's new G, C, and X ranges, the Nokia 10 is likely to have a letter preceding its number, and leaks specifically point to a Nokia X60 - possibly alongside a Nokia X60 Pro.
There's also the Nokia 9.1, which makes sense in some ways because the company uses a decimal system when releasing updated smartphones – the Nokia 7.1, for example, was succeeded by the Nokia 7.2. This moniker implies that the new flagship is merely an improved version of the 9 PureView, not a completely new device.
However, we've heard Nokia may skip 9.1 and go straight to 9.2, a name chosen to compensate for the lengthy delay. Take your pick. We've even heard it referred to as the Nokia 9.3.
Nokia 10 was suggested as a name because it is a step up from Nokia 9, and all of the 9.-something names imply that the phone will be a minor upgrade over the 9 PureView, rather than a completely new device.
The name 'Nokia 10' appears to be a possibility, as an official Nokia document leaked in October 2020 naming the phone, though the X60 also carries a lot of weight, as it is more in line with the brand's current naming conventions.
Leaks, rumors, and news about the Nokia 10 / Nokia 9.3
According to reports, the Nokia 9 PureView's successor may be a 5G device. That makes sense, especially given the proliferation of 5G phones – including the company's own Nokia 8.3 5G.
Additionally, we'd heard that Nokia's next flagship would not be unveiled at MWC 2020 in order for it to feature the high-end Snapdragon 865 processor, as the Nokia 9 featured an older chipset and suffered as a result. However, the cancellation of MWC 2020 rendered that point moot.
Nokia 9.2's announcement is likely to be delayed until autumn due to the Snapdragon 865 processor's replacement.
However, the Snapdragon 865 has been available for an extended period of time, and we're now hearing that the Nokia 10 has been delayed further to accommodate the Snapdragon 888.
Recent leaks indicate that the Nokia 10 (or whatever it's called) will be powered by the Snapdragon 775 processor, which will debut in 2021. Additionally, it will reportedly feature sapphire glass and a stainless steel frame.
Another rumor about the next Nokia phone, possibly the Nokia 10, is that it will feature an under-screen selfie camera rather than one hidden behind a notch or bezel, which is a premium feature that may feel out of place on a Nokia phone unless it is truly top-of-the-line.
Thus, this device is unlikely to be a Nokia 9 PureView successor, as the Nokia 9 PureView is a high-end but not quite top-end phone. We'd anticipate a truly cutting-edge flagship for this feature.
Speaking of cameras, a source speaking to Nokia Power User claims the Nokia 9.2 PureView (as the device is dubbed) will feature a significantly different camera setup than the Nokia 9, though they do not elaborate. There has been talk of a 108MP primary camera and a total of five rear cameras, so it appears as though the handset will excel at photography.
Recently, we learned of the Nokia X60, a flagship phone with a 200MP camera, a 6,000mAh battery, a 144Hz refresh rate for its curved screen, and a secondary screen on the back. All of this sounds quite impressive. Nonetheless, the report suggested the phone would run HarmonyOS rather than Android, a claim the brand has denied.
Finally, we've heard that Nokia is developing a foldable phone, and while it's highly unlikely that the Nokia 9.1 or 9.2 will be this device, it's possible that Nokia will launch this device as the Nokia 10, establishing it as a significant leap.
What we're hoping to see in the Nokia 10 / 9.2
Here are some features we'd like to see in the next Nokia flagship phone to elevate it above the competition.
1. A versatile camera
While the Nokia 9 PureView featured five rear cameras, we found the camera capabilities to be lacking. This is because each camera used the same lens and resolution, with the exception of one that was black and white.
The company did this to ensure the phone took fantastic standard pictures, but it lacked snappers with ultra-wide or telephoto lenses, limiting the variety of images that could be taken.
We'd hope for a few different lenses in the Nokia 10, or whatever the new Nokia flagship is called, so we can take zoomed-in shots, decent macro shots, and more. Additionally, higher-resolution sensors would be beneficial.
2. A high-performance processor
While the Nokia 9 PureView didn't have a subpar chipset, its Snapdragon 845 was the year's top-of-the-line piece of technology, and thus plenty of phones from 2019 outperformed it in terms of performance.
Given that one of the phone's distinguishing features was its ability to take five photos simultaneously and export them as RAW files, a good processor would have been beneficial.
We'd like to see the Nokia 10 or Nokia 9.2 ship with the current top-of-the-line chipset, which will almost certainly be the Snapdragon 865 if the new phone launches in 2020.
This processor would be responsible for the phone's snappy processing (obviously), which should be ideal for photo capture, game graphics rendering, and possibly even 5G connectivity, as the chipset includes a built-in 5G modem.
3. 5G compatibility
2020 appears to be the year that 5G phones truly become affordable, with devices like the Samsung Galaxy S10 5G, OnePlus 7 Pro 5G, and Oppo Reno 5G all costing quite a bit to purchase in 2019.
We'd like to see Nokia lead the charge for affordable 5G phones, with a device that the majority of people can afford (although a 5G plan will still probably be pricey). If prices remain consistent with those of its predecessor, the Nokia 9.2 could be a prime candidate for this.
4. A more comfortable design
One thing we discovered about the Nokia 9 PureView is that it was not the most comfortable phone to hold, with sharp edges and a completely flat screen in a year when many flagships began using curved displays.
Also, the phone lacked an oleophobic coating, which meant that fingerprints were easily visible on the screen and body.
If HMD Global is serious about competing with the other top-end, or even mid-range, smartphones of 2020, it will need to create a phone that is beautiful to look at as well as functional.
