Nokia N9 (or something) in the wild: 8 megapixel camera, American 3G?

We told you, didn't we? Whether you want to call this the N98, the N900's successor, or the N8 plus QWERTY, what you're looking at above is potentially the visage of Nokia's next smartphone. It's being dubbed the N9 by the folks at Negri Electronics, who also inform us it has an 8 megapixel imager on the back, 850 / 1900 3G bands (good for AT&T, Rogers, Telus, and Bell), and "ridiculous screen clarity." This sort of throws us for a loop, since we're looking at some straight Symbian action up there, whereas Nokia has told us directly that there'll be no more Symbian on the N Series after the N8. A clue to what might be going on is provided by the "C0" label at the upper left corner of this device, suggesting that it could be a future C Series member. All we know is that the thing seems pretty real and it's headed to a full video review in the next few days. Yay!

[Thanks, Jason]

[mark29 Posted Jun 25th 2010 4:55PM]

Now thats a superphone!

[Son Of a Gun Posted Jun 25th 2010 4:56PM]

@mark29 Not a huge Nokia fan, but I love the competition.

[operationnightscratch Posted Jun 25th 2010 4:59PM]

@mark29

phone?

All I see is a big assed watermark.

[MarkAnderson Posted Jun 25th 2010 5:01PM]

@mark29

I'm calling fake on this one.

Although if it's not I'm definitely interested.

[JONNNathannn Posted Jun 25th 2010 5:06PM]

@mark29 It's a swanphone if you ask me.

Have no idea why Nokia announces the death of symbian smartphones before launching the N8. Makes little sense.

[naashak Posted Jun 25th 2010 5:08PM]

@mark29

It definitely is not the N9 since this is running what looks like Symbian^3 whereas N9 is supposed to run MeeGo. If its C Series, it must be a mid range phone (the lack of metal shows that) priced below the N8.

[spartandre217 Posted Jun 25th 2010 5:08PM]

@JONNNathannn
They didn't announce the death though?
The only thing I can recall them saying is that N-series phones would use MeeGo in the future and that the rest of their lineup, like the X&C-series would continue to use symbian, but hey, you know best :-P

[liftedngifted1 Posted Jun 25th 2010 5:11PM]

@mark29 Is it a KIRF?

[cr3amy Posted Jun 25th 2010 5:12PM]

@mark29
Does seem like a sweet superphone. Throw stock Android on it and give it to any other provider and I'd buy one right now.

I especially love the look of the keyboard and the screen's tilt (I'm thinkin airplane or desk viewing)

[MarkAnderson Posted Jun 25th 2010 5:14PM]

@cr3amy

Why? Can you give me specific reasons why stock Android is better than Symbian^3?

[Malkmus Posted Jun 25th 2010 5:14PM]

@MarkAnderson

You think the full review they're preparing for tomorrow is for a fake? That should be interesting. I think it's real.

[MarkAnderson Posted Jun 25th 2010 5:18PM]

@Malkmus

Gotta be a C Series then.

[JFH Posted Jun 25th 2010 5:22PM]

@JONNNathannn

Here they explain well how Nokia is not abandoning Symbian. It will continue to be the most prevalent mobile OS, and will be for a long time.

http://www.allaboutsymbian.com/news/item/11732_The_changing_shape_of_Nseries.php

[Discourse Posted Jun 25th 2010 5:28PM]

@JONNNathannn Symbian is not dead. All new apps are now written with Qt so they will work on N8, N900, MeeGo and future Symbian versions.

[Goc Posted Jun 25th 2010 5:40PM]

@mark29
It's the N8-01, or the E7.
The N8 had that C0 when it was first leaked. And we've already seen the C7 and that's not it.

[hary536 Posted Jun 25th 2010 6:05PM]

@JONNNathannn

Read this: Engadget didn't post this article. They even deleted my comment, which had the same article linked in it. Trying again. Let's see.

http://www.allaboutsymbian.com/news/item/11732_The_changing_shape_of_Nseries.php

[cr3amy Posted Jun 25th 2010 6:48PM]

@MarkAnderson
Don't know why my comment got downranked... I'm a big fan of Nokia's hardware, and I complimented the design...

Anyways, now that I have Android I just don't want to make the switch until something way above and beyond is out, ya know? Plus, I'm a fan of Google documents and gmail.

I just would like to see a Nokia phone with Android OS is all... I've always thought they had the best build quality.

[BigJayDogg3 Posted Jun 25th 2010 6:54PM]

@MarkAnderson

Google integration. Google nav. Lack of Ovi Suite (I "use" it with my E63). Apps. Yeah yeah yeah. I know Symbian's "App Store" is the internet, but you can't get around the fact that notable apps like Amazon music, Kindle, and Pandora are absent on Symbian (at least on S60).

Yes Symbian is a great OS. But it does have its shortcomings.

[spartandre217 Posted Jun 25th 2010 7:25PM]

@BigJayDogg3
I actually like the ovi suite software somewhat, better than having nothing to be honest

[Engadget Fan 89 Posted Jun 25th 2010 7:43PM]

@naashak I can't tell from this picture if there is a lack of metal so I would not rule out that this is either the N8-01 or the E7. Defintely not C7 (already leaked) and X will remain candybar in design. The N9 will be Meego, so process of elimination suggests an N8 variant or the E7. Of course, the QWERTY would require a break form the N8's single piece aluminum chasis, but the picture does not rule out a metal back panel. Will be interesting to see how Nokia managed the battery design here. I am liking this phone.

[MarkAnderson Posted Jun 25th 2010 7:44PM]

@BigJayDogg3

Ovi Maps, Ovi Integration. Pandora is US only, I have an Amazon app as well as Ovi Music etc.

Those are features mind, not the OS though.

[ushoda Posted Jun 25th 2010 8:09PM]

weird thing.... the operator is ENTEL...that's a Chilean company http://www.entel.cl/

[ushoda Posted Jun 25th 2010 8:21PM]

@ushoda DID SOMEONE NOTICE THE LED FLASH FOT THE FRONT CAMERA?

http://www.negrielectronics.com/blog/wp-content/upLoads/2010/06/nokian9proto2.jpg

[brrip Posted Jun 25th 2010 10:15PM]

@MarkAnderson maybe it's just nokla getting it right

[boxieblue Posted Jun 26th 2010 3:55AM]

@MarkAnderson
either the screen looks pretty big for a Nokia handset, or that QWERTY keypad is smaller than most. But i'm gonna call this one real...the looks borrow a lot from the N8, the the slide out form factor is the same as the N97.
It might be an N98, if Nokia is still following that naming convention. or else it would be a C series, like you said.

[dartox Posted Jun 26th 2010 4:17AM]

@boxieblue: no, thats no N-device, this is the E7. its the E72 follower.

[dartox Posted Jun 26th 2010 4:20AM]

and for sure its no N9 or C device @ engadget, because N9 will have MeeGo and C is lower priced. C0 is just for prototype!

[Mr w00t Posted Jun 26th 2010 5:46AM]

@JONNNathannn As said before this is not a N-series.
I have used a proto of this one and I gotta tell you.
I wish N8 would have the same keyboard. I personally like the keyboard in this one, much better than N900 and N97 if someone wants a comparison.

Engadget has shown before a picture of the green qwerty that was looking like this few months ago. This is the phone they were talking about in that article.

[jetzking Posted Jun 26th 2010 9:55AM]

@MarkAnderson
it might real as the main front button is on the center and the slider button is on the left side of the phone, just like the previous render that came before the n8 was released
http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/02/nokia-n98-leak-validated-by-n8-is-there-a-qwerty-slider-brewing/#

[Son Of a Gun Posted Jun 25th 2010 4:55PM]

The More the merrier, keep em coming.

[Hydra Posted Jun 25th 2010 4:56PM]

Motorola Devour? Even though I like the style im not buying it with a dead OS

[Son Of a Gun Posted Jun 25th 2010 4:57PM]

@Hydra If I'm gonna wait for any Qwerty Slider, it's the Galaxy S Pro, hopefully they add an LED flash.

[MarkAnderson Posted Jun 25th 2010 5:02PM]

@Hydra

Since S^3 supports Qt it ain't dead.

[inept Posted Jun 25th 2010 5:39PM]

@Hydra

Dead like it will appear on potentially fifty million devices over the course of 2011?

[jrm125 Posted Jun 25th 2010 4:56PM]

This is quite nice looking. I like the tilt.

I wish it was easier to get to stores that have actual, working models of phones to try them out.

[statickeith Posted Jun 25th 2010 4:56PM]

SWEET!!! But i thought it was supposed to have MeeGo instead of S^3! Anyways, this looks promising!

[Goc Posted Jun 25th 2010 5:42PM]

@mark29
This is not the N9.

[zob Posted Jun 25th 2010 4:57PM]

it even has a symbian key.

[zob Posted Jun 25th 2010 5:14PM]

@EA575 yes it's a joke :(

[JFH Posted Jun 25th 2010 5:23PM]

@zob

I laughed. Good job.

[spartandre217 Posted Jun 25th 2010 4:57PM]

Not the N9, please let this thing not be the N9, E7, C7 something just not this as the N9 :-(.
MeeGo please??

[JFH Posted Jun 25th 2010 5:00PM]

@spartandre217

Its not the MeeGo device that is coming out. Does it matter how it is called? Its just the N8 qwerty. :)

[spartandre217 Posted Jun 25th 2010 5:02PM]

@JFH
They'll probably call it the C7 or something.
N8 qwerty sounds like an utter fail at marketing.


BTW I can't verify my mobile-review forum account :-(

[MarkAnderson Posted Jun 25th 2010 5:03PM]

@spartandre217

That's either a fake or the highest end C series.

[JFH Posted Jun 25th 2010 5:05PM]

@spartandre217

Odd, I reset the whole thing yesterday and worked like a champ.

[spartandre217 Posted Jun 25th 2010 5:10PM]

@JFH
They havent sent me the verification email yet and i registered like 2 weeks ago :-@

[JFH Posted Jun 25th 2010 5:28PM]

@spartandre217

Check spam then, works like a charm for me.

[spartandre217 Posted Jun 25th 2010 6:42PM]

@JFH
Checked spam and nothing :-(
ah well new account I guess

[Man on earth Posted Jun 25th 2010 11:12PM]

@spartandre217
it might be the real N9 but running Symbian ^3 just for testing purpose, and it is planned to run MeeGo once there is an operational OS.
any chances of that ?

[spartandre217 Posted Jun 26th 2010 12:59AM]

@Man on earth
Highly unlikely