Flashback: Nokia N9 was ahead of everyone but went nowhere

08 December 2019
Nokia's Linux efforts faced internal and external pressure, but they did deliver this jewel - only for it to be quickly discontinued in favor of WP7.

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  • A
  • AKS
  • XP3
  • 08 Dec 2019

Great phone.

    • A
    • Alboooz
    • Srh
    • 08 Dec 2019

    Vendhar, 08 Dec 2019There was no snapdragon s4 series of cpu yet at the time an... moreYou are a full...calling snapdragon week...you don't know what you talking about...perhaps you are iphone kid!

      CCE, 08 Dec 2019Don't bring up what is dead, stays dead! Nokia & iPhoneOld ideas can be brought back to modern days. Just take a look at the history of electric cars, and you'll realize that it wasn't Tesla who started it all. Just because it's dead doesn't mean it can't be revived.

        • C
        • CCE
        • p@n
        • 08 Dec 2019

        Don't bring up what is dead, stays dead! Nokia & iPhone

          I have the N9. I bought it when it was on clearance in 2011...I think. I used it for a while and it was quite impressive. But by that time I got sucked into the Android and Samsung maelstrom. It now sits in its original box with its original unused accessories in my personal gadget time capsule in my basement.

            • ?
            • Anonymous
            • DkR
            • 08 Dec 2019

            Anonymous, 08 Dec 2019Honestly, if they would bring back this exact design, moder... moreExactly. I love its design too. Its just the internals that need an upgrade.

              I remember seeing this looking smooth like this back then, but there are three reasons why it failed: "developers, developers, developers".

                • T
                • Tan
                • q{K
                • 08 Dec 2019

                Nokia willingly let Microsoft destroy them and Microsoft showed no mercy

                  • ?
                  • Anonymous
                  • v3B
                  • 08 Dec 2019

                  Honestly, if they would bring back this exact design, modernise the internals, put the best camera sensor they have and put a new OLED screen to fit the entire glass area, it'd sell a lot.

                    Anonymous, 08 Dec 2019Nokia was using mid-range cpu for their high-end phones and... moreLol this not true, lumia 520 and 620 use krait processor, nothing in android could match it processing wise, that time android low end used cortex A5 or A7.

                    So is lumia 920 which was specs champion before introduction of sd600.

                    It was microsoft who started using sd400 in highend phones from lumia 830.

                      • A
                      • Adul Al Salami Kebab
                      • nrX
                      • 08 Dec 2019

                      Anonymous, 08 Dec 2019Their surface series is not half bad TBH..We have yet to get proper reviews of it yet, also for all we know it may blue screen of death every monthly update... x-x

                        • V
                        • Vendhar
                        • bJb
                        • 08 Dec 2019

                        Thank you gsm arena for this acknowledgement. Nokia is one of important player in mobile and was pioneer of many software and hardware features. But they sank like HTC due to some wrong decision and late improvement.

                          • ?
                          • Anonymous
                          • NL{
                          • 08 Dec 2019

                          Anonymous, 08 Dec 2019 > microsoft itself was pretty garbage when it comes to... moreTheir surface series is not half bad TBH..

                            • V
                            • Vendhar
                            • bJb
                            • 08 Dec 2019

                            Anonymous, 08 Dec 2019Nokia was using mid-range cpu for their high-end phones and... moreThere was no snapdragon s4 series of cpu yet at the time and most smartphones used somewhat feeble socs. Snapdragon's cortex architecture is weak as well and most other socs used primitive arm architecture of that time. This is not limited to Nokia.

                              Nokia hardware + Android One + N9 Meego UI theme & launcher
                              😍

                                • ?
                                • Anonymous
                                • LQu
                                • 08 Dec 2019

                                sadh, 08 Dec 2019HMD, IF you think that you ARE Nokia, dont repeat their mis... morehMD does not think they are Nokia.
                                They just pay to use their name.

                                  Nokia N9: Design Story
                                  https://youtu.be/9Re_Ht16pC8

                                  I'll never forget 2011 because it was the first year I wanted to branch out from iOS. First time I tried webOS, Android, and Windows Phone. I also moved to the Philippines that year in November.

                                  I remember Motorola being bought by Google and Microsoft and Nokia joining forces. First time we had the Galaxy Note. We got the BlackBerry Playbook and Xperia Play. Even the Nintendo 3DS and Sony PS Vita. The death of Steve Jobs and Palm. So many things happened that year in tech.

                                  Nokia N9 is still a beautiful phone. Was going to get one in 2016 but the seller told me in the last minute that it wasn't working anymore. Wouldn't turn on. I had no real use for it. Just wanted it for the sake of owning it.

                                  I can always find one at Alibaba for dirt cheap but I go nah. Dual core and 1 GB RAM is hard to live with. Was even going to buy an Xperia ZR on eBay which was water-resistant but had a removable battery. Too reluctant using old software.

                                  Nostalgia gives us the feels but I have no practicality use for using old tech. Even my current Essential Phone and Pixel 3 will both get old and I would need to move on from them. Most tech, I'll be lucky using them for 10 years. My laptop and PSP lasted the longest at 7 years only. Then I moved on.

                                  Tech are like people. They all get old and then they die.

                                    • ?
                                    • Anonymous
                                    • 6wN
                                    • 08 Dec 2019

                                    Android is the best at all.

                                      • ?
                                      • Anonymous
                                      • 8as
                                      • 08 Dec 2019

                                      i remember my nokia 808. i really liked the color science. no cameras compare these days