For a few weeks earlier this year, HMD Global was in rapid-fire mode pushing out the Android 10 update to its lineup of existing devices. After the Nokia 5.1 Plus, though, the company went quiet, and a handful of devices - the Nokia 5.1, 3.1, 2.1, and 1 - missed their originally-promised release window of Q2 2020.
Today, though, the rollout is finally expanding again, and the Nokia 1 is getting its upgrade to Android 10, after launching over two years ago with Android Oreo (which was version number 8). The Nokia 1 actually runs the Go edition of Android, and while it"s not the first Nokia Android Go smartphone to get Android 10, it"s the oldest in HMD"s lineup to do so.
As usual, HMD Global is rolling out the update in waves, and the initial wave only includes a handful of markets. 10% of users in these markets will get the update today, and 50% of users should have it by Friday, July 10. By July 12, everyone in these regions should have the update. The markets included in this wave are:
- Bangladesh
- Cambodia
- India
- Indonesia
- Laos
- Malaysia
- Myanmar
- Nepal
- Philippines
- Singapore
- Sri Lanka
- Thailand
- Vietnam
Being that the Nokia 1 is over two years old, and an entry-level smartphone, getting a major update at this point is a significant achievement. Many smartphones don"t get supported for that long, even at higher price points.
As for what"s new in the Go edition of Android 10, performance is the key point Google highlighted when announcing the update. Apps should launch 10% faster compared to the previous version of Android Go, which should be a welcome improvement on low-power devices like the Nokia 1. It also includes the Adiantum encryption technology that helps keep user data safe without dedicated encryption hardware.