Nokia N9

Nokia
Industry	Telecommunications, Consumer electronics
Founded	May 12, 1865; 161 years ago in Finland
Headquarters	Espoo, Finland
Products	Mobile phones, smartphones

The Nokia N9 (internally referred to as Lankku) represents a premier smartphone created by Nokia, operating on the Linux-based MeeGo platform. Officially revealed in June 2011 and launched in September of the same year, it stands as Nokia's sole device running MeeGo, a result of the company’s collaboration with Microsoft established that year. Initially, the device was offered in black, cyan, and magenta color options, with a white model introduced later during Nokia World 2011.

Although its market presence was somewhat restricted, the N9 garnered widespread positive reviews for its pioneering software and hardware attributes. Highlights included its MeeGo operating system, a unique buttonless 'swipe' navigation system, and high-end specifications. The phone’s unibody design was subsequently adapted for the Windows Phone-powered Nokia Lumia 800, which debuted later in 2011.

Background

Following the Nokia N900, the successor internally designated as N9-00 was initially scheduled for release near the end of 2010, approximately one year after the N900. Leaked prototype images from August 2010 revealed a design featuring a four-row physical keyboard; this iteration, which later became known as the N950, was eventually discontinued. Nokia proceeded to develop a keyboard-free model, the N9-01, codenamed Lankku.

In 2010, Nokia aimed to position MeeGo as its leading smartphone platform, intended to replace Symbian, whose flagship device that year was the N8. Consequently, the N9 was originally designed to serve as Nokia’s premier handset. However, on 11 February 2011, Nokia entered into a partnership with Microsoft to adopt Windows Phone 7 as its primary operating system, relegating MeeGo to a secondary role. CEO Stephen Elop committed to releasing one MeeGo device in 2011, which materialized as the N9.

The official announcement of the Nokia N9 occurred on 21 June 2011 at Nokia Connection in Singapore, with commercial availability slated for September 2011. Prospective buyers were able to register for availability alerts through Nokia’s Online Store. After Nokia shuttered numerous regional online stores on 30 June 2011—including those serving Poland, Germany, the Netherlands, France, Italy, Spain, the UK, and the US—the distribution responsibilities shifted to retail partners and network operators.

Elop confirmed that Nokia would cease further development of MeeGo regardless of how well the N9 performed in the market, instead concentrating efforts on the Lumia lineup. This decision disappointed many MeeGo enthusiasts who petitioned for continued support. MeeGo itself was an evolution of Maemo Linux, formed through collaboration between Nokia and Intel by merging Maemo with Intel's Moblin. Despite initial enthusiasm for this platform, Elop’s termination of MeeGo development led to Intel expressing formal regret. While the N9 received favorable acclaim, sluggish sales of Lumia devices prompted criticism towards Elop’s choice to abandon MeeGo—a factor some believe contributed to Nokia’s decline in the smartphone sector.

Following the Microsoft alliance, Elop characterized MeeGo as an experimental "project." Certain user interface components from Harmattan were later repurposed in the discontinued "Meltemi" initiative and subsequently integrated into the Nokia Asha platform.

Availability

In August 2011, Nokia declared that the Nokia N9 would not be launched in the United States, with additional reports suggesting it would also be unavailable in regions such as Japan, Canada, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Nevertheless, by late September 2011, Nokia confirmed that the N9 would become available in retail outlets, with initial pricing set at approximately €480 for the 16GB model and €560 for the 64GB version, excluding taxes or subsidies.

In Germany, imported units from Switzerland were initially sold online through platforms like Amazon and Cyberport GmbH, and by January 2012, these devices appeared in prominent Saturn Media Markt stores. By February 2012, the N9 was officially listed on Nokia’s Italian website, indicating formal distribution within Italy.

As of January 2012, prices for the device varied between €500 and €630 depending on the internal storage capacity.

Processors and memory

The Nokia N9 is equipped with a Texas Instruments OMAP 3630 system-on-chip fabricated using a 45 nm CMOS process. It incorporates a 1 GHz ARM Cortex A8 CPU responsible for operating system functions and application processing, alongside an Imagination Technologies PowerVR SGX530 GPU capable of supporting OpenGL ES 2.0 and rendering up to 14 million polygons per second. A 430 MHz TI TMS320C64x digital signal processor manages camera image processing, audio tasks, and data transmission. The device contains 1 GB of low-power single-channel RAM (Mobile DDR), some of which is allocated as compressed fast swap through Compcache. At its launch, this represented Nokia’s most advanced hardware offering.

User information is saved on internal eMMC storage chips available in two variants: 16 GB and 64 GB. Notably, the N9 was the first smartphone to provide a 64 GB internal memory option.

Screen and input

The N9 boasts a capacitive touchscreen capable of recognizing up to six simultaneous touch points. Its display resolution is 854 × 480 pixels (FWVGA, 251 ppi) arranged in a PenTile RGBG matrix. The OLED panel supports up to 16.7 million colors and is shielded by curved Corning Gorilla Glass that is resistant to scratches. Compared to earlier Nokia devices, the gap between the glass and display has been minimized, while an anti-glare polarizer improves visibility under bright daylight conditions. The phone includes proximity and ambient light sensors to regulate screen activation and adjust brightness automatically. An accelerometer is also present to enable automatic screen rotation for applications such as web browsing.

GPS

The N9 provides standalone GPS functionality enhanced by optional A-GPS, Wi-Fi positioning capabilities, and a magnetometer sensor. It comes pre-installed with Nokia Maps and Nokia Drive applications. Nokia Maps assists users in finding nearby points of interest and integrates with Contacts and Calendar apps. Nokia Drive delivers free lifetime turn-by-turn voice navigation for driving without requiring an active data connection by utilizing preloaded maps of the continent where the device was purchased.

Camera

The rear camera includes autofocus functionality paired with dual LED flash and supports both 16:9 and 4:3 aspect ratios along with a 4× digital zoom feature applicable to photos and videos alike. It employs an 8.7-megapixel sensor (3552 × 2448 pixels); however, effective resolution differs based on aspect ratio—3552 × 2000 pixels (7.1 MP) for 16:9 images and 3248 × 2448 pixels (8 MP) for those in 4:3 format. Unlike conventional cropping techniques, the N9 utilizes the sensor’s full width for widescreen images (16:9) and full height for standard photos (4:3). The camera lens is a Carl Zeiss wide-angle variant with a focal length of 28mm, an aperture of f/2.2 allowing fast exposure, and focusing distances ranging from 10 cm to infinity. Video capture supports up to 720p resolution at 30 frames per second with stereo audio recording.

Buttons

Located on the right edge are the power and volume buttons, where a long press on the power key toggles the device on or off, and a brief press locks or unlocks the screen. The N9 emphasizes minimal physical controls, relying predominantly on touchscreen gestures for navigation—such as bezel swipes to reduce open applications—and does not include a separate camera shutter button, instead utilizing the touchscreen interface. The display can be awakened by double-tapping.

Audio and output

The device is equipped with two microphones: the main microphone designed for phone calls and audio recording, and a secondary microphone positioned near the camera to facilitate noise suppression, improving voice clarity in loud surroundings. Sound output is delivered through a speaker located at the bottom and a 3.5 mm AV port that supports stereo sound with Dolby Headphone technology, microphone input, or video output capabilities. Data synchronization, mass storage access, and charging are managed via a USB Micro-B High-Speed USB 2.0 port concealed behind a small protective flap.

Bluetooth version 2.1 + EDR enables features such as stereo audio streaming (A2DP), hands-free profile (HFP) support, file transfers (FTP/OPP), remote control (AVRCP), and also functions as an FM receiver/transmitter using headphones as an antenna. Although the device does not come preloaded with FM radio software, an independent FM radio application can be downloaded from the OVI Store.

Near Field Communication (NFC) allows easy sharing of photos, contacts, music, and pairing with compatible accessories like Nokia C7, Nokia 701, Nokia Play 360 speakers, and Nokia BH-505 headsets. The N9 supports maintaining multiple NFC connections simultaneously.

Battery

The Nokia N9 is powered by a non-removable BV-5JW battery rated at 3.8V and 1450mAh capacity. According to Nokia’s specifications, it provides between 7 and 11 hours of continuous talk time, standby duration ranging from 16 to 19.5 days, approximately 4.5 hours of video playback, and up to 50 hours of audio playback. Charging is exclusively performed via USB.

Box contents

Inside the retail packaging customers will find the Nokia N9 handset, a USB cable, USB A/C power adapter, stereo earphones, and a quick start manual. These items are contained within a straightforward blue box adorned with an image of the phone and its application launcher screen.

Accessories

The N9 supports a variety of accessories through several connectivity methods: external keyboards connect via Bluetooth, while wireless headphones and speakers utilize NFC, among other options.

MeeGo

The Nokia N9 operates on a version of MeeGo based on Harmattan (formerly known as Maemo 6), which merges open-source initiatives from both Nokia and Intel. While it retains Harmattan’s core middleware components and Debian-based package management system, it maintains full API compatibility with MeeGo 1.2 through Qt frameworks. For both users and developers, distinctions between Harmattan and MeeGo 1.2 are minimal. Nokia adopted the MeeGo name for marketing purposes to replace Maemo branding.

Swipe User Interface

The user interface of the Nokia N9 revolves around three main panes: Home, Lock Screen, and Open Applications. Users navigate horizontally between these screens using swipe gestures. The Home pane consists of:

Events: Displays alerts such as missed calls, upcoming calendar appointments, unread messages or emails, and feeds from web services including Facebook and Twitter if activated.
Applications: A scrollable menu presenting all installed applications arranged in four columns.
Open Applications: Functions as a task manager showing active apps in either two or three columns—adjustable via pinch gesture—with vertical scrolling available for additional running apps.

Swiping inward from an app’s edge returns to Home without terminating the application; apps remain suspended or operate in the background. To close an application completely, users can long-press its thumbnail within Open Applications until a red "X" icon appears or perform a downward swipe from the top that triggers a fade-out effect. While using an app, tapping the status bar opens a control menu for adjusting volume levels, profile settings, internet connectivity (WiFi or GSM), Bluetooth toggles, media sharing via DLNA, and availability status. The customizable Lock Screen displays system status information including clock, notifications, and music playback controls introduced in PR 1.1.

Unlocking is achieved by double-tapping the screen; sliding up from the lock screen reveals the Quick Launcher, which provides four shortcut icons accessible even when other apps are active.

Nokia’s innovative swipe-based UI and double-tap unlocking were later incorporated into the Nokia Asha platform, debuting with the Nokia Asha 501 in 2013.

Reception

Nokia unveiled the N9 during its Connections conference held in Singapore in June 2011. The device garnered favorable critiques for its MeeGo v1.2 Harmattan interface, nearly button-free design, polycarbonate unibody chassis, and integrated NFC functionality. Despite this, many critics were reluctant to fully endorse the N9, given Nokia's strategic pivot away from MeeGo toward adopting Windows Phone for upcoming smartphone models. Vlad Savov, editor at Engadget, described the handset as "excellent," yet noted it was overshadowed by Nokia’s platform transition.

Subsequent evaluations continued to commend the N9’s aesthetics and software experience: Engadget referred to it as "arguably the most stunning phone ever produced," while Ars Technica emphasized its refined touch interface and foundation in open-source technology. The Verge (website) labeled it "among the most intriguing phones of recent years," and GSMArena’s review titled "Once in a lifetime" reflected widespread acclaim.

German outlets also acknowledged the N9's promise; Der Spiegel suggested it "had the potential to be Nokia's triumph," while Stern considered it one of Nokia’s finest products. Delimiter described the N9 as Nokia’s "most impactful" device since the Nokia N95.

Sales

The Nokia N9 was not launched in key smartphone markets including the U.S., Canada, UK, Germany, France, Italy, and Spain. Nokia never publicly released sales data for this model.

Awards

In November 2011, at an event hosted by Swedish publication Mobil.se, the Nokia N9 secured three out of four awards, winning in categories such as design, camera, and overall phone of the year. Its Swipe UI earned a nomination for an IxDA Interaction Award in January 2012. By February 2012, user ratings placed the N9 at number one with a score of 8.432/10 from 74,940 votes on GSMArena, alongside ranking fifth in daily interest. In April 2012, it received a prestigious D&AD "Yellow Pencil" award for interactive product design, surpassing rivals including the iPad 2 and Nokia Lumia 800.

Open/closed source packages and community contributions

Nokia embraced a predominantly open platform strategy with certain exceptions, blending open-source components with proprietary user experience elements. Mirroring the approach taken with Maemo 5 on the Nokia N900, community members had the ability to request that Nokia release specific closed-source modules as open source.

A substantial number of third-party applications—mostly free and open source—were developed or adapted for the Linux-based MeeGo Harmattan operating system.

Released updates

Version	Release date	Key enhancements
PR 1.0 10.2011.34-1	September 2011	Initial launch version
PR 1.1 20.2011.40-4	November 2011	Introduced lock screen music controls, camera filter effects, NFC tag reading capability, Twitter image sharing, Swype keyboard input method, Chinese language support, and noise cancellation via secondary microphone
PR 1.2 30.2012.07-1	March 2012	Added application folders, continuous shutter mode for camera, Google Talk video calling support, enhancements to Nokia Drive (including speed limit alerts and home location setup), DLNA media sharing functionality, notifications for third-party app updates, playlist management features, improved Mail for Exchange address book integration, universal copy-paste support in browser; expanded language options with Thai, Hebrew, Persian, Vietnamese, and Kazakh
PR 1.3 40.2012.21-3	July 2012	Delivered over a thousand quality improvements encompassing updates to Mail client, Facebook and Twitter apps, along with better network connectivity stability

Leak of Android 2.3 Port

Photos appeared on Sina Weibo depicting an N9 prototype running Android 2.3 (Gingerbread). These images gained credibility because of earlier leaks related to Nokia's Sea Ray prototype and remarks from Stephen Elop suggesting Nokia had evaluated Android alternatives.

Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean

The NITDroid community developed an unofficial port of Android 4.1.1 for the N9, providing basic operational capabilities but missing key functionalities such as voice calls and camera integration.

Sailfish OS

On 21 November 2012, Jolla introduced Sailfish OS, which continues the MeeGo legacy by utilizing over 80% of MeeGo’s Linux source code. The middleware foundation, known as the Mer project—originating from MEego Reinstated—forms the open-source, vendor-neutral core of Sailfish OS. Due to Nokia’s Harmattan UI and some N9 applications being proprietary, Jolla developed a new swipe-based user interface on top of the Mer core. Demonstrations running Sailfish OS on the Nokia N950, a device closely related to the N9, sparked enthusiasm for porting Sailfish onto the N9 hardware. Jolla acknowledged that unofficial community ports are feasible but emphasized that these lack official backing and do not match the user experience found on Jolla’s own devices, such as their inaugural Jolla phone launched on 27 November 2013. Sailfish OS is recognized as the first fully realized Linux MeeGo operating system and is actively maintained, widely regarded as MeeGo’s successor and a spiritual heir to the N9.

KaiOS

In early 2019, KaiOS Technologies Inc. demonstrated several devices powered by KaiOS, including the Nokia 8110 (2018), Jio Phone, and a full-touchscreen device believed to be the Nokia N9.

External links

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