Nokia 9 Pureview punch-hole camera leak is actually just fan art

Update: Earlier today we reported on images seemingly teasing HMD Global's MWC 2019 press conference, and while that's exactly what they did, they weren't produced by the Nokia phone manufacturer.

We contacted HMD Global about the images, and a spokesperson for the company confirmed to TechRadar that they are just fan art, rather than leaks.

It means that the 'punch-hole' camera design may not appear on the Nokia 9 Pureview after all, with previous leaks suggesting enough bezel above the display to house the selfie snapper and associated sensors.

-- Original story --

Smartphone displays with 'punch-hole' openings for the camera are fast becoming a major talking point in 2019, and a new leak suggests we could see a Nokia-branded handset adopting the look very soon.

A couple of teaser images posted on Baidu and spotted by Android Pure appear to advertise HMD Global's (the firm that now makes Nokia smartphones) MWC 2019 press conference in Barcelona, Spain, and there are a couple of interesting images faintly displayed on them.

The two images don't, at first glance, give anything particularly obvious away.

From first glance, there's nothing obviously being given away here (credit: Android Pure)

Enhance!

However, if you increase the brightness on both of these images, a couple of interesting features are revealed.

Firstly, the image featuring the outline of the handset reveals what appears to be a punch-hole in the top-left corner of the display, as you can see below.

We've already seen a punch-hole camera feature on the Honor View 20 this year, and many more manufacturers are expected to follow suit.

Upping the brightness appears to show a punch-hole camera (credit: Android Pure)

Upping the brightness appears to show a punch-hole camera (credit: Android Pure)

Switching to the second leaked image, you may be able to make out a faint circle to the left of the February 24 date – the date teased by HMD's Chief Product Officer, Juho Sarvikas on Twitter last week which we expect to be the date of the firm's press conference at MWC.

Increase the brightness on this image and you'll see that it's not just one circle, but several, which appear to be the leaked five-camera setup tipped for the rear of the much-rumored Nokia 9 Pureview.

However, the eagle-eyed among you will notice only four cameras are shown here, with the fifth circle actually being a dual-LED flash. We still expect five cameras to feature on the Nokia 9, and the way they're laid out in the leaks we've seen suggests the fifth snapper would be behind the date in this image.

Four cameras and a flash, the less-successful sequel to four weddings and a funeral (credit: AndroidPure)

Four cameras and a flash, the less-successful sequel to four weddings and a funeral (credit: AndroidPure)

We'd wager that the phone in both of these leaks is the same, with the flagship Nokia 9 a strong candidate to not only have the penta- lens camera setup, but also an all-screen front and thus a punch-hole selfie snapper.

TechRadar will be reporting live from MWC 2019 to bring you all the latest news, insights and hands-on reviews, including everything Nokia.

Via PocketNow

John McCann
Global Managing Editor

John joined TechRadar over a decade ago as Staff Writer for Phones, and over the years has built up a vast knowledge of the tech industry. He's interviewed CEOs from some of the world's biggest tech firms, visited their HQs and has appeared on live TV and radio, including Sky News, BBC News, BBC World News, Al Jazeera, LBC and BBC Radio 4. Originally specializing in phones, tablets and wearables, John is now TechRadar's resident automotive expert, reviewing the latest and greatest EVs and PHEVs on the market. John also looks after the day-to-day running of the site.