HMD Global is expected to announce a new Android Go phone called the Nokia 1 Plus at MWC 2019. Just a few days before the launch, it has decided to update the Nokia 2.1, one of its first Android Go phones.

The Nokia 2.1 launched back in  May 2018 as its second Android Go phone. It ran Android 8.1 Oreo (Go Edition) out of the box and packed a couple of specs you won’t find on more expensive phones such as stereo speakers and a large 4,000mah battery.

The announcement for the Android Pie update was made on Twitter by Juho Sarvikas, the Chief Product Officer of HMD Global. Android 9 Pie (Go Edition) takes up less space than Android Oreo (Go Edition). It will also boot faster and has verified boot for security. Google also says it brings a dashboard for tracking and monitoring data consumption.

Get it while it's hot! Our latest Android 9 Pie update is rolling out now. Nokia 2.1 just keeps getting better. #Nokiamobile pic.twitter.com/SN9uEsqPGZ

— Juho Sarvikas (@sarvikas) February 21, 2019

The Android Go apps have also been redesigned: Google Go can now read aloud webpages; Assistant Go supports more languages such as Spanish, Brazillian Portuguese, and Indonesian; and the Android messages app is now smaller in size while the phone app has caller ID and spam detection.

READ MORE: Nokia 5.1 Plus (3GB + 32GB) now available in the US for $199

The Nokia 2.1 has a 5.5-inch HD display with Gorilla Glass on top. It is powered by the Snapdragon 425 with 1GB of RAM and 8GB of storage. There is a 5MP camera in front for selfies and an 8MP camera on the back with an LED flash. It also has an FM radio and a dedicated MicroSD card slot.

(Source)

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Vivo Go is an upcoming smartphone from BLU Products. It could be arriving as the first smartphone ever to feature Go edition of Android 9 Pie OS. The smartphone is expected to arrive in the U.S. with a pricing of $89. Customers who order it are expected to receive a pair of free earbuds.

The modest BLU Vivo Go will be featuring a 6-inch curved screen that will carry support for HD+ resolution of 720 x 1440 pixels. It will be offering an aspect ratio of 18:9. The MediaTek MT6739 chipset that includes an octa-core processor that works at 1.5 GHz will be present under the hood of the device. The SoC will be assisted by 1 GB of RAM. A 2,600mAh battery will be powering the device.

A fingerprint scanner is available on the rear side of the BLU Vivo Go. For shooting selfies, the phone features a 0.3-megapixel front-facing camera. A vertical dual camera setup that includes a pair of 8-meagpixel sensors is available on the rear shell of the Vivo Go.

The BLU Vivo Go will come with an internal storage of 16 GB. For more storage, the device will carry support for microSD card. The handset will be a dual-SIM device that will be able to connect to the 4G LTE networks from AT&T and T-Mobile in the U.S.

The appearance of the BLU Vivo Go suggests that other smartphone manufacturers may release Android 9 Pie (Go edition) phones in the near future. In August, Google had confirmed the arrival Android 9 Pie (Go edition) that came with improvements such as extra 500 MB of storage out of the box, faster booting, improved security features such as verified boot and a dashboard for checking data use.

(source|via)

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Just a little over a week after Android 9 Pie got an official release, Google has announced Android 9 Pie (Go Edition), a successor to Android Oreo (Go Edition).

Last year, Google announced Android (Go Edition) for entry-level devices and first-time Android users. The first Android (Go Edition) smartphone, the Nokia 1 was announced at MWC 2018 and hit markets in April. Now there are close to 200 Android Go devices from other manufacturers such as ASUS, Motorola, Blackview, Doogee, Micromax, and Itel.

Android 9 Pie (Go Edition) will come with a bunch of new features and improvements. For example, Android 9 Pie (Go Edition) will take up less space on devices, providing an additional 500MB of storage right out of the box. Devices running the new version will also have faster boot times, verified boot as part of improved security features. It will also have a dashboard for tracking and monitoring data consumption.

All of the above features are expected to improve performance and security, provide more space, and make data management easier. Google has also redesigned the Go apps and added new features.

• Google Go: reads aloud web pages and highlights each word so users can follow along.

• YouTube Go: gets a gallery mode for downloaded videos and uses less data.

• Maps Go: provides turn-by-turn navigation
• Assistant Go: now supports Spanish, Brazillian Portuguese, and Indonesian. Users can also use it to control Bluetooth, camera, flashlight, and add reminders.
• Android Messages and Phone App: the size of the messaging app has been reduced by almost half and the phone app now has caller ID and spam detection.

READ MORE: These six Sony phones will receive Android Pie starting September

Google says the first set of devices with Android Pie (Go Edition) will arrive this fall. With the way Google puts it, it doesn’t appear as if existing Android Oreo (Go Edition) devices will be updated.

(Source, Via)

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