So, its not surprising to see HMD Global ushering in Android 12 with the Developer Preview update for Nokia X20 5G. Though the update will be more apt for device like Nokia 8.3 5G, its still good to see Android 12 on a HMD made Nokia device.
The Nokia X20 5G, launched in April 2021, is a capable device, sans the price. In my recent article, I wrote on my long term review of the Nokia X20 5G, highlighting its ups and lows and I am certainly curious to see if Android 12 will improve it.
So, Android 12…
Now, this update is intended for developer only, indicating that they are finally almost ready for general release. So, do expect a general roll of Android 12 update for Nokia X20 5G in the coming weeks. But, if you are itchy for the latest and greatest, then proceed with caution.
Now, the procedure is relatively easy. All you need is a Nokia X20 5G device. Click on the My Phone app, select support, choose Android developer option, share your IMEI, and you will be prompted that your device will be getting update for Android 12 shortly. The update itself weighs in less than 1GB surprisingly.
Now, before you do this, do note that the update comes in with many warnings. It is clearly stated that the update is intended for developer only and not for general use. If you run in into any software issue, Nokia Care may not be able to provide the support you need. Thankfully, you can roll back to Android 11 through My Phone app if you aren’t happy with it. Do take note that the update itself will wipe out all user data, so do back up.
The Experience so far..
The update took less than 5 minutes and after keying in your details, you are good to go. In general, it feels snappy, app scrolling seems buttery smooth, the icons are larger, and the layout is better for single handed use.
The choice of color reminds me of Android 4. Looks refreshing and less cluttered. While it will take a couple of days of usage to see how stable this update is, for now the device is behaving well. There are some minor glitches during app transition, but the overall experience is good.
The new layout is both aesthetically pleasing and practically useful. Ease for single handed use and compliments the dark theme.
There is a bump in the camera firmware, but no new features. I was hoping for addition of speed warp mode that was introduced with Nokia XR20 5G but it’s not available here, which is sad. For those hoping for new features in the camera, there are none. I have not tested it extensively but having checked it briefly, I notice the wide-angle camera output looks downgraded. But a proper test should answer this. There is no option for 4K recording either if you are hoping for one. But a stabilized 1080p at 60FPS is good enough over a buggy 4K recording any day.
A new camera firmware Notification if your front camera is being used
What to expect..
For now, the device is installing its app and the update seems to be a fairly stable one. Some new features I noticed were the extra dim mode and notification if the front camera is being used. The larger icons with slightly more vibrant colors are refreshing and is certainly welcomed.
I will be testing the camera in detail in the coming days. If you have any questions on this update, do hit me up in my twitter where I am spending more time these days!
Do check out the Android 12 update walkthrough here:
