HMD Global accused of deliberately delaying Android Pie updates, here’s the reason [Updated]

HMD Global – the official licensee of Nokia brand of phones – promised to roll out Android Pie updates for Nokia 6.1 and Nokia 6.1 Plus in October, and for Nokia 8 and Nokia 8 Sirocco in November. The Nokia 6.1 and Nokia 6.1 Plus have already received their Android Pie updates, but, the Nokia 8 and Nokia 8 Sirocco haven’t. Earlier this week, HMD confirmed that Android Pie update for Nokia 8 was delayed due to some issues, but, according to the latest information coming in, HMD has deliberately delayed this update.

According to the information coming out of Russia from an industry source, HMD has deliberately put the Android Pie update for Nokia 8 on hold. And, the reason for deliberately delaying the Android Pie update for Nokia 8 is increasing the sales of recently launched Nokia 8.1 which runs Android Pie out-of-the-box.

HMD Global’s Chief Product Officer Juho Sarvikas is said to have come up with this idea of delaying Android Pie update, because he thinks customers like to buy phones that run the latest software. And, by putting the Android Pie update on hold for Nokia 8, customers will be inclined to buy the Nokia 8.1.

In addition to Nokia 8, HMD is also accused of delaying the Android Pie updates for Nokia 5 and Nokia 6. There’s no word on when Nokia 5 and Nokia 6 will receive their Android Pie updates, but the Nokia 8 is now said to receive the Android Pie update on the last day of this month, or in January.

If this is actually the reason for delay in roll-out of Android Pie update, then we have to say it’s a bad move made by HMD to boost the sales of Nokia 8.1.

Update: HMD Global’s Chief Product Officer Juho Sarvikas has responded to these allegations. Here’s what he said:

“I hope you know that we would never do such a thing. Each chipset family and each product in it requires dedicated work. We have extreme focus here and push updates as fast as possible.“