Nokia fesses to looming N95-3 software update, fails to mention specifics

It's been a solid tick since the North American N95, also referred to as the N95-3, received a software update. For those clamoring for a little love from Nokia's dev team, listen up: an administrator over at the outfit's forums has admitted that the Software Update crew has a new version in the works. We're told that they've heard the demands for a fresh release, and they're toiling away in order to bring it to N95-3 owners by early June. Unfortunately, we're not told what new features we can expect, and even worse, "early June" seems like eons away, doesn't it?

[Via Symbian-Guru]

[chickenator @ May 18th 2008 4:35AM]

yawn...

[gabe @ May 19th 2008 2:32AM]

i almost got this phone - but got an iphone

[Blaine Oliver @ May 18th 2008 4:39AM]

Finally they have brought in accelerometer support so auto rotation etc.

Thats all i know it brings.

[Anthony @ May 18th 2008 11:04AM]

You know, I installed RotateMe on my 8gb version & eventually took it off. I found it more of a headache than a blessing.

Pictures I didn't want rotated did, sometimes the screen would rotate in the wrong direction (making everything upside down & difficult to return to normal, etc).

Could've been just me but I would prefer a focus on different areas than this. Now the ability to do other things w/ the accelerometer is nice.

[Engadgetluvsappl @ May 18th 2008 11:25AM]

Anthony, install the latest version of RotateMe and set it to only work in the gallery and to start on boot up, it's the best use of the accelerometer, I believe!

[Adan @ May 18th 2008 5:00AM]

Your complaining about early june?

We've been waiting for the iPhone SDK since like feburary and it comes out in june!!!

[Eric @ May 18th 2008 8:14AM]

We N95-3 owners have been watching NOK release several major firmware upgrades for the entire European N95 line for months now. We've felt like the redheaded stepchild missing out on demand paging (memory saver), greatly increased response times (camera opens in a few seconds, not a minute in some cases), and some bad reboot-required bugs (that are rare, but still happen).

Of course we still had the a-gps before they did, and the North American version had more memory to begin with, so it isn't like we're starving. More like the spoiled brat seeing his friend's bike and wanting it too.

[Alex @ May 18th 2008 8:42AM]

Yeah seriously.

[X-BLADE @ May 18th 2008 5:17AM]

Seconded.

[Blaine Oliver @ May 18th 2008 5:25AM]

Americans always seem to buy american, thats why eurpean companies struggle to break into their market.

[Mark @ May 18th 2008 6:25AM]

BS. Explain Motorola. Also explain Samsung and LG.

If Nokia puts out an overpriced phone that isn't released by any carrier its not the people's fault that they select other alternatives.

[Pdexter @ May 18th 2008 6:40AM]

Not sure what you mean by that becayse Motos last fortress is America and only place where they sell any of them. While they are absolute garbage.
Thought i dont agree with Americans only buying american products and it's true that it's no wonder they dont sell in American too. They are over priced in NA, Nokia dosent sell phones via carriers in NA(where all phones are bought in NA) and the brand isnt the same superhero it is in Europe and Asia(Europe's Most Valuable brand, Nokia)

Oh and just N95-3 being one example that Nokia really dosent give much to NA as N95 classic and N95 8GB have had them updates(and many of them) ages ago. While USA versions have been left empty handed.

[Nick @ May 18th 2008 7:00AM]

PlayStation2 = Japanese
PlayStation2 = Most sold console in U.S. ever.

[vcx @ May 18th 2008 5:40PM]

Ever heard of BMW?

[knightsray @ May 18th 2008 6:08AM]

in no way does europe kick americas "arse" in anything now or in the future...it just won't happen...DEAL WITH IT!

[Lloytron @ May 18th 2008 6:41AM]

Knightsray, you keep telling yourself that mate, if it makes you feel better.

Who needs facts when those comfy blinkers make you feel so safe?

[Esat Dedezade @ May 18th 2008 6:42AM]

More fail.

Begone.

[FB @ May 18th 2008 7:01AM]

OK, so the point is that people want a new release just for the release's sake, not because there is a need to be filled? So, if the phone works right, you should release what? A placebo release? Look, now even better: version 4.5.8!!
Or are there any real features that users are demanding explicitly that are going to be dealt with?
Otherwise, people will release incomplete software with several dormant features to be released later on just to keep release-junkies happy. Is that what you want?
I prefer a well developed and mature product with fewer releases but better, more relevant features.

[Pdexter @ May 18th 2008 7:50AM]

Well N95 classic had major updrade that gave it more available ram, tweaks to interface(example that sometimes iritating carusel menu got fixed), bug fixes and just much faster experience with the phone.
N95 8GB got flaslight 3! and some small tweaks to interface + slightly faster OS.
N95-3 or N95-4 havent had any updates yet. Thought it's nice to see that they even recognize USA market now and give those owners possibility to update.

Btw i dont have problems with this as i own N95 8GB :)

[chickenator @ May 18th 2008 7:24AM]

yawn...

[Esat Dedezade @ May 18th 2008 7:26AM]

Did someone cut off your head, but yet your still running around?

The intelect of your posts would seem to support this theory.

I will humour you no more. Knock yourself out.

[Sean @ May 18th 2008 7:39AM]

@knightsray
you know, patriotism sucks.

[momotarosan @ May 18th 2008 8:06AM]

i wish they would update my N770. it has so much potential.

[Stranger @ May 18th 2008 8:37AM]

It has never been a Nokia N770, it's just called 770 as compared to N800 and N810.

http://europe.nokia.com/A4145104

Anyhow, the problem with the 770 is the lack of memory, only 64 MB as compared to 128 MB in N800 and N810. The 770 will never recieve any major upgrades since it's just to crippled from the start.

[joe @ May 18th 2008 7:46AM]

jeez how ugly can this thing be? Any designers working for Nokia?

[Soze @ May 18th 2008 7:56AM]

If you are looking for good looking Nokia phones N series isnt the place to look them and this phone is 1 ½ year old already too.
It's too bad thought that they dont make N series phone look more like E series, 6xxx series or not to even talk about 8xxx series phones.
I do like the upcomming N78 i have to say + the coming E66 and E71.

[L.Rawlins @ May 18th 2008 8:22AM]

It sounds like they're giving it what the newer N82 has. Most notably accelerometer support, geotagging and the internet radio. Aswell as obligatory battery and speed enhancements.

Let's face it, short of a TV tuner and some extra buttons the N82 already is the N96. Since you guys likely won't see the N96 for a while, they'll just make your N95's as good as the next best NSeries device on the market to the 96.

[Engadgetluvsappl @ May 18th 2008 8:59AM]

Don't forget the .4" bigger screen, the newer OS, the possibility of having 48GBs of storage and of course the LEDs for video recording.

The N96 might be shit, but the N82 is even shitter.

[Steffen Jobbs @ May 18th 2008 8:28AM]

Nice brick of a smartphone. Shame it'll be obsoleted as soon as the 3G iPhone hits the streets. I acknowledge that Nokia is a handset ruler of the world and they make fine cellphones. The only market they haven't penetrated yet is the U.S. market.

However, they might as well give up on smartphones, since the 3G iPhone will just devastate Nokia's smartphone market. When the iPhone is offered in Finland, they'll probably throw away their Nokias N-95s and get iPhones instead. Even the patient Finns don't care much for rebooting their cellphones a dozen times a day.

[Sarig @ May 18th 2008 8:46AM]

Can I get some of whatever it is you're smoking?

[Engadgetluvsappl @ May 18th 2008 8:53AM]

I used to think that you had a brain, Steffen! Have you ever been to Finland? Go there and I guarantee you will be able to count the number of iPhones you see with 1 hand.

Also, the iPhone's global marketshare is just simply appauling and there is nothing you can say about that. When you command over half of the global smartphone market *cough*Nokia*cough*, there is no possibility that a crippled and stupidly over priced device will even worry you in the slightest.

Wanna try again?

[Esat Dedezade @ May 18th 2008 8:59AM]

Wow. there are so many flaws in your post that I don't have the time to take them apart.

I was dissapointed in your lack of a /sarcasm tag at the end of your post.

I had to do a double take to make sure it really wasn't there.

Alas, it was not.

[Pdexter @ May 18th 2008 9:20AM]

Hey there! here's one finn and i do actually have iphone(+N82) and it's the only one i have ever see when compred to N95 what you see every day. Thought this is not a suprise when iphone isnt sold in here and i get these why is your ipod touch bigger than my guestions =D
People should get over with this iphone will take over the world. Apple isnt about volumes, Nokia is. Apple will have it's share of growing smartphone business thats a fact, but S60 will stay number one as long as Nokia keeps S60 up. S60 just controls so much of smartphone markets now that S60 might just be synonym to smartphone OS in many countires.
Biggest impact from Apple has happened already. Iphone is introduced and it's one mean machine no guestion about it, but are they able to do it again and not just add features to iphone? Because by that they arent going to take that 55% marketshare that Nokia has and i dont even think Apple wants to start price war with Nokia as Nokia have started to give S60 in cheaper phones too.
For us consumers it's actually just better that Apple dosent have huge portfolio of phones(you arent going to get +50% from smartphones market share by one phone no matter how good it is.) because they dont need to worry about seperating phones from each other.

[Rich @ May 18th 2008 9:53AM]

Nice troll, Steffen Jobbs.

"Even the patient Finns don't care much for rebooting their cellphones a dozen times a day."

My iPod touch has crashed more times than my N95 8GB. FACT.

[chickenator @ May 18th 2008 9:39PM]

@ Rich,
everything Apple is low ranked, FACT
owww...u actually "owned" an iPod Touch. FACT / FICTION* (erase which applicable)

[Rich @ May 19th 2008 5:03AM]

I'm glad I managed to wake you up after all that yawning. :)

[Maverick Saturn @ May 18th 2008 8:29AM]

Its been a while since I've had a Nokia...maybe I should move back :)

[Pdexter @ May 18th 2008 9:27AM]

Best test iphone has faced was Great Britain. It's probally the most competitive market here in wester side of the world. it went fine, but N95 had number one spot for weeks in sales there and N95 8GB continue where N95 had finished. Didnt see iphone even in the top 5 list single time.
Fins are just too biased...research that was actually relased yesterday gave Nokia a 86% market share here in Finland Samsung coming good number 2 with 4%.....

[Justin @ May 18th 2008 9:55AM]

I've barfed chunks that have looked better than this device.

[kr @ May 18th 2008 10:24AM]

Funny how someone mocking the intelligence of another misspells "intellect" and "you're" in the same post...

[kr @ May 18th 2008 10:27AM]

Wow, thank you reply system. That was to Esat.

[Esat Dedezade @ May 18th 2008 11:00AM]

Apoliges for the misspelling of intellect.

No apologies for my CORRECT use of 'your' though.

[Engadgetluvsappl @ May 18th 2008 11:06AM]

Esat... He's correct. Look at your first sentence.

[Rick @ May 18th 2008 12:28PM]

Early June would be about right to have the new release in time for AT&T's release of the N95. So I bet several changes are at AT&T's request.

[amy @ May 19th 2008 5:03PM]

Rick, you wrote: "Early June would be about right to have the new release in time for AT&T's release of the N95."

Got a link for info about this release? I'm wondering if AT&T will start selling it, whether they'll start servicing it too -- since Nokia's US service is totally inadequate and a real dealbreaker for me at this point. I'd love to see some other options.

- Amy Gahran

[Esat Dedezade @ May 18th 2008 11:26AM]

"The intelect of your posts would seem to support this theory."

you're = you are

Therefore would the following sentence not be incorrect?

"The intelect of 'you are' posts would seem to support this theory.

I mean unless there's another grammatical rule I'm missing here that someone can enlighten me on (I'm not being sarcastic, if there is then please tell me) then I'm pretty sure I was right.

[Esat Dedezade @ May 18th 2008 11:27AM]

Damn. I just realised that you were reffering to my first sentence not the one I quoted, meaning you are absolutely correct.

My bad, apologies.

[Esat Dedezade @ May 18th 2008 3:48PM]

"The N95 has a 5 megapixel camera with image quality comparable to a 12 megapixel sony SLR camera."

That's where you lost all of your credibility.

This is coming from someone who has an N95 and loves the picture quality, and uses it as their main camera.

[chickenator @ May 18th 2008 3:51PM]

emotional N95 user...

[Lloytron @ May 18th 2008 5:20PM]

Oh noes! Someone has posted a story about a gadget I own/don't own*. I must praise/ridicule* it whilst simultaneously insulting people who don't own/own* said product!

I own X. Everyone who bought Y is a twat.

*delete as applicable