Nokia N9: The Last MeeGo Flagship

Nokia N9 (2011, MeeGo) & Nokia 808 PureView (2012, 41 MP): Two Pioneering Flagships That Redefined Nokia’s Legacy

The Nokia N9 (2011) and Nokia 808 PureView (2012) are iconic Nokia flagships that represent bold technological bets in the final years of the brand’s independent mobile era. The N9 was the only MeeGo-powered smartphone ever released—a sleek, unibody device with a revolutionary swipe-based UI that influenced later mobile OS designs. The 808 PureView, by contrast, was a Symbian-powered masterpiece that introduced a 41 MP camera sensor with groundbreaking computational photography, setting a benchmark for mobile imaging that remains relevant today. Both devices were commercial underdogs but earned cult status among tech enthusiasts for their innovation and uncompromising vision.

1. Nokia N9 (2011): The MeeGo Swan Song

Overview

Unveiled on June 21, 2011, the Nokia N9 was the first and only smartphone to run MeeGo 1.2 Harmattan—a Linux-based OS co-developed by Nokia and Intel, designed to merge the best of mobile and desktop computing. Targeted at power users and design enthusiasts, it featured a seamless unibody polycarbonate design, a 3.9-inch AMOLED display, and a gesture-driven UI with no physical buttons (save for the power key). The N9 was Nokia’s attempt to compete with iOS and Android, but the project was scrapped shortly after launch to focus on Windows Phone devices, making it a rare collector’s item.

Key Technical Specifications

Category	Details
Operating System	MeeGo 1.2 Harmattan (Linux-based; no subsequent updates; no app store growth)
Display	3.9-inch AMOLED; 854×480 (FWVGA); 252 ppi; Gorilla Glass; curved edge; 16M colors
Processor	Texas Instruments OMAP 3630 (45nm); 1GHz single-core Cortex-A8; PowerVR SGX530 GPU
Memory & Storage	1GB LPDDR2 RAM; 16GB/64GB internal storage (non-expandable)
Camera System	8MP rear camera (f/2.2, 28mm, autofocus, dual-LED flash, 720p video recording at 30fps); 0.3MP front camera (VGA video calls)
Battery & Charging	1450mAh non-removable Li-Ion; talk time: up to 11 h (2G)/6 h (3G); standby time: up to 380 h (2G)/450 h (3G); micro-USB 2.0 (no fast charging)
Network & Connectivity	3G HSPA+ (14.4 Mbps download/5.76 Mbps upload); Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n; Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR; NFC; GPS/GLONASS
Design & Build	Unibody polycarbonate body; dimensions: 116.45×61.2×12.1 mm; weight: 135 g; three color options (Black, Cyan, Magenta); no physical home button
Core Features	Swipe-based UI (swipe from edges to navigate); multitasking view; Nokia Maps with offline support; FM radio; Dolby Digital Plus audio

Core Innovations & Legacy

Gesture-Driven UI: The N9’s “swipe to home, swipe to switch apps” interface was a precursor to modern mobile UIs—including Nokia’s own Windows Phone Lumia devices and even Android’s gesture navigation.
Unibody Design: The seamless polycarbonate build was a departure from the plastic-and-metal hybrids of the era, emphasizing durability and minimalist aesthetics.
MeeGo’s Unrealized Potential: Though MeeGo was discontinued, its open-source DNA lives on in Sailfish OS (developed by Jolla, a company founded by ex-Nokia employees), which retains the N9’s signature swipe gestures.

Market Reception

The N9 received universal acclaim for its design and UI, but it failed commercially due to limited app support and Nokia’s abrupt shift to Windows Phone. It remains a beloved cult device, with a dedicated community of users who continue to develop custom software for it.

2. Nokia 808 PureView (2012): The 41 MP Imaging Revolution

Overview

Announced at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2012, the Nokia 808 PureView was a Symbian Belle-powered flagship that revolutionized mobile photography with its 41 MP 1/1.2-inch BSI CMOS sensor—still one of the largest sensors ever used in a smartphone. Unlike other high-megapixel phones of the era, the 808 didn’t just cram more pixels into a small sensor; it used oversampling (a computational photography technique) to downscale 41 MP images into 8 MP “PureView” shots, resulting in unprecedented detail, low-light performance, and noise reduction. It also offered 3× lossless optical zoom (via sensor cropping) and 1080p video recording with Dolby Digital Plus sound. The 808 was the last major Symbian device from Nokia, marking the end of an era for the OS.

Key Technical Specifications

Category	Details
Operating System	Symbian Belle FP1 (upgradable to FP2; limited app ecosystem; no further OS updates)
Display	4.0-inch AMOLED ClearBlack; 640×360 (nHD); 185 ppi; Gorilla Glass; 16M colors
Processor	Texas Instruments OMAP 4470 (45nm); 1.3GHz dual-core Cortex-A9; PowerVR SGX544 GPU
Memory & Storage	1GB LPDDR2 RAM; 16GB internal storage; microSD expandable up to 32GB
Camera System	41 MP rear camera: 1/1.2-inch BSI CMOS sensor, f/2.4 aperture, 28mm focal length, Carl Zeiss Tessar lens, optical image stabilization (OIS), dual-LED flash, oversampling technology, 3× lossless optical zoom, 1080p video at 30fps (Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 surround sound)1.3MP front camera: VGA video calls
Battery & Charging	1400mAh removable Li-Ion; talk time: up to 11 h (2G)/5 h (3G); standby time: up to 520 h (2G)/500 h (3G); micro-USB 2.0
Network & Connectivity	3G HSPA+ (21 Mbps download/5.76 Mbps upload); Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n; Bluetooth 3.0 + HS; NFC; GPS/GLONASS
Design & Build	Polycarbonate body; dimensions: 123.9×60.2×13.9 mm; weight: 190 g; four color options (Black, White, Cyan, Magenta); physical keypad (for Symbian navigation)
Core Features	PureView oversampling technology; lossless zoom; Nokia Maps with offline 3D; FM radio with RDS; HDMI out (via micro-USB adapter); DLNA support

Core Innovations & Legacy

41 MP Oversampling: The 808’s sensor captured 7728×5368 pixel images, then downsampled them to 3264×2448 (8 MP) by averaging multiple pixels. This eliminated noise, improved dynamic range, and delivered sharper images than any smartphone of its time.
Lossless Optical Zoom: By cropping the sensor’s center (which contained 5 MP of data), the 808 achieved 3× zoom without quality loss—no telephoto lens required.
Mobile Imaging Benchmark: The 808’s camera technology was later adapted for Nokia’s Lumia Windows Phone devices (e.g., the Lumia 1020 with 41 MP), and its oversampling concept influenced modern smartphone cameras from Apple, Samsung, and Google.

Market Reception

The 808 was praised by photography critics for its unmatched camera performance, but it struggled commercially due to the declining Symbian ecosystem. It is widely regarded as one of the best camera phones ever made and remains a favorite among mobile photography enthusiasts.

Nokia N9 vs. Nokia 808 PureView: Key Differences

Feature	Nokia N9 (2011, MeeGo)	Nokia 808 PureView (2012, 41 MP)
OS	MeeGo 1.2 Harmattan (Linux)	Symbian Belle FP1 (upgradable to FP2)
Camera	8MP rear (no oversampling)	41MP rear (oversampling, OIS, lossless zoom)
Display Resolution	854×480 (FWVGA, 252 ppi)	640×360 (nHD, 185 ppi)
Processor	1GHz single-core OMAP 3630	1.3GHz dual-core OMAP 4470
Storage	16GB/64GB (non-expandable)	16GB + microSD (up to 32GB)
Battery	1450mAh (non-removable)	1400mAh (removable)
Key Strength	Design, gesture UI, MeeGo innovation	Mobile photography, oversampling, Carl Zeiss lens

Combined Legacy

Both the N9 and 808 PureView are testaments to Nokia’s engineering prowess and willingness to take risks. The N9 showed what a modern, gesture-driven mobile OS could be, while the 808 redefined what a smartphone camera could achieve. Though neither device saved Nokia’s mobile division, they left an indelible mark on the industry: MeeGo’s UI influenced future mobile interfaces, and the 808’s PureView technology set the standard for computational photography. Today, both devices are highly sought-after by collectors and enthusiasts, a reminder of Nokia’s golden age of mobile innovation.