Released on Android 9, the phone looks more expensive than it is, has decent cameras and a pin-sharp display. We liked it a lot, as evidenced by our solid four-star review. The phone becomes the third Nokia device after the 9 Pureview and 8.1 to get the Android 10 update. HMD has promised to bring the latest OS to most of its existing devices in 2020. It’s a schedule that it has stuck to so far, and if successful will show up other Android OEMs who seemingly struggle to update even their flagship devices to the latest version of Google’s mobile software. It means that for hundreds of pounds less, people with a Nokia 7.1 can enjoy features many others only currently have on a Pixel or OnePlus smartphone such as the official gesture controls, smart reply, focus mode and enhanced privacy controls – the latter a much appreciated addition given some of Android’s inherent security downsides when compared to iOS. Henry is Tech Advisor’s Phones Editor, ensuring he and the team covers and reviews every smartphone worth knowing about for readers and viewers all over the world. He spends a lot of time moving between different handsets and shouting at WhatsApp to support multiple devices at once.
