Nokia has announced its first two Windows Phone 8 devices at a special event in New York today.
The Nokia Lumia 920 is the company’s flagship Windows Phone 8 smartphone, incorporating the company’s PureView imaging technology with low-light capability and image stabilisation to offer clearer photographs. It’s also equipped with Nokia City Lens - a new location-based augmented reality service - along with wireless charging and a 2000mAh battery.
Jo Harlow, executive vice president of Nokia Smart Devices, said “Nokia PureView continues to deliver cutting-edge technology to make it possible for a smartphone camera to take the kind of images usually only seen on a standalone SLR camera. With the Nokia Lumia 920 we have made it possible to shoot pictures and video at home, outdoors, in a restaurant or even at night, and come out with professional-looking results.”
Nokia’s Lumia 820 is described as a ‘mid-range’ smartphone. It has a similar design to the Lumia 920 although the screen is slightly smaller.
Both phones will be available in 4G LTE and HSPA+ variants with availability expected later this year, although details of specific countries and pricing haven’t been confirmed.
Nokia wireless charging
Nokia’s adoption of wireless charging using the Qi standard for the Nokia Lumia 920 (and, via an exchangeable cover, for the Lumia 820 as well) has seen the company set up a number of accessory and service partnerships. Alongside its own-brand wireless charging accessories is the ‘Fatboy’ branded wireless charging pillow and a JBL wireless charging loudspeaker.
An agreement with Virgin Atlantic will see wireless charging stations in the London Heathrow Clubhouse lounge, while US café chain The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf will put charging plates on some of its cafe tables.
Nokia Lumia 920 specifications:
Display: 4.5 inch Nokia PureMotion HD+ WXGA IPS LCD display; Nokia ClearBlack with high brightness mode and Sunlight Readability Enhancements
Battery: 2000mAh with integrated Qi wireless charging
Processor: 1.5GHz Dual Core Snapdragon S4
Main camera: 8.7megapixel with Nokia PureView advanced optical imaging stabilization and Carl Zeiss optics; full 1080p HD video capture at 30fps
Front-facing camera: 1.2megapixel with 720p HD video
Memory: 1GB RAM; 32GB mass memory with 7GB free SkyDrive storage
[Nokia Conversations blog]