HMD Global is once again showing its ability to handle the release of new software updates on its latest Android-powered smartphones, as recent reports indicate that the OEM has begun the distribution of the September 2017 Android security patch for the Nokia 5 ahead of all other manufacturers, including Google. The update weighs 142MB but its detailed changelog is currently missing as Google has yet to post it as part of its official security bulletin.
As many readers are aware, Google is launching regular Android security patches for its mobile platform, and each month, a new release brings along additional security features. Phone makers such as HMD Global can pick and distribute these updates, but it’s up to each OEM to successfully launch them in a timely manner. Evidently, HMD Global has been doing an efficient job so far, as this is the second time this year a Nokia smartphone is receiving a new security patch before Google’s own smartphones. The first was the July security patch distributed to the Nokia 6 ahead of the Mountain View-based tech giant’s Pixel devices. As for the update at hand, it is distributed over the air and will prompt users to download it via a push notification. Users are advised to install the update over a Wi-Fi network while ensuring their device has at least 50 percent of battery life left.
HMD Global is also committed to launching Google’s latest version of Android OS – Android 8.0 Oreo – on all of its smartphones released this year, including the Nokia 5 at hand, Nokia 6, the entry-level Nokia 3, and the upcoming Nokia 8. The first three models have hit the shelves running Android Nougat out of the box but no exact time frame for the launch of Android 8.0 Oreo has been given by the Finnish company so far. The Nokia 5 was introduced in February and released in July, featuring a 5.2-inch display with a resolution of 1280 x 720, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 system-on-chip, 2GB of RAM, and 16GB of on-board memory expandable via a microSD card by up to an additional 256GB. It features a 13-megapixel main camera, 8-megapixel selfie shooter, and a front-facing fingerprint sensor embedded into its physical home button, and draws energy from a non-removable 3,000mAh battery.