Nokia 3 Android Oreo Beta Update 'Around the Corner', Confirms HMD Global

More than a month after skipping Android 7.1.2 Nougat, Nokia 3 is now in the queue for getting an Android Oreo beta update. The smartphone was launched with Android 7.0 Nougat in February last year and recently received the December Android security patch. The update to Android Oreo was originally expected for sometime in the end of 2017 as HMD Global's General Manager for Australia Mark Trundle confirmed the formal schedule in a media interview.

HMD Global's Juho Sarvikas on Saturday the release of the Oreo beta update. "#Nokia3 Beta Labs around the corner [sic]," Sarvikas, the Chief Product Officer at HMD Global, tweeted. He also emphasised that the Nokia 2 would directly receive an update to Android 8.1 Oreo with memory optimisation features. In addition to the Nokia 2 and Nokia 3, HMD Global already released Android Oreo beta updates for the Nokia 5 and Nokia 6.

Users who want to experience Android Oreo on their Nokia 5 and Nokia 6 handsets need to sign up for the Beta Labs programme with their Google accounts. It is worth noting here that the update includes several bugs alongside advanced features such as a Smart Autofill, Picture-in-Picture (PiP), Notification Dots, and Google Play Protect security scans among others.

Launched with Android 7.0, the Nokia 3 is one of HMD Global's most affordable models. It is available in India through Croma with a price tag of Rs. 9,499. The smartphone features a 5-inch HD display and comes with a 1.3GHz quad-core MediaTek 6737 processor, coupled with 2GB of RAM. It sports an 8-megapixel camera sensor on both the front and back sides. There is 16GB onboard storage that is expandable via microSD card (up to 128GB). Besides, the handset packs a 2650mAh battery.