HMD Global, the Finnish company that owns the Nokia brand has officially released the open source code for its latest phone Nokia 1 Plus.
Nokia 1 Plus was launched only a couple of days back at the MWC event in Barcelona. Nokia 1 Plus is a budget Android Go phone running Android Pie out of the box. The phone with 5.45 inch IPS LED display has mediocre specs. Specs include 1 GB RAM, single 8 MP rear camera, 5 MP front camera and 16 GB internal storage. The processor used is a quad-core MediaTek MT6739 SoC and it costs just $99.
List Updated Today by Nokia
The webpage containing the list of devices for which Nokia has released the Kernel source codes was updated earlier in the day today. Nokia 1 Plus figures among these devices and the device owners can reach the kernel source code page on the Nokia.com site and download the file (see link at the bottom of the article).
Also Read: Nokia 5.1 Plus Kernel Source Code is now Available for Download
The purpose behind these kernel source codes is to enable the phone’s use to be widened to permit development work to be carried out by those who have the skill and the inclination to do so. It becomes an open source environment which is what every developer out there is keen to enjoy. HMD Global explains that it draws the power to make the kernel source code available to the device users under the GPL or the LGPL. It is these licenses that permits the source code distribution.
The decision by HMD Global to release the kernel source codes to its Nokia range of phones is seen in the industry circles as a change of heart. These reports indicate that not all manufacturers of smartphones are inclined to follow the licensing terms of GPL. Possibly, till some months back, even HMD Global too was in that list. But the virtues of the open source code has dawned on the company and the owners of the Nokia devices have turned lucky and are now on the verge of enjoying the facility to expand the capabilities of their smartphones.
Also Read: Nokia 6.1 Plus Receives Official TWRP Update; Now You Can Expand the Phone’s Capabilities
But the entire process of getting the kernel source code downloaded and then working on them may not be everyone’s cup of tea. It requires certain basic knowledge of the way the bootloader unlocking is done and be aware of the risks associated with the process. That is exactly why the developers who prefer to work on such open source platforms love to use the mobile phones with the kernel source codes.
Note: Clicking the above link will download the source code automatically. The file size is 199MB.