US regulator approves Microsoft purchase of Nokia
Nokia today unveiled its first smartphones using Windows 8 software in a joint event with Microsoft in Manhattan. The new phones, the Lumia 920 and 820 comes at a critical time for Nokia as the Finnish phone makers tries to salvage its market share in a competitive market dominated by Samsung and Apple. The Nokia launch comes just a few days after Samsung hurriedly launched its Windows 8 based smart phones
Analysts said that the launch is important for both Nokia and Microsoft. Tony Cripps, principal analyst, devices and platforms, Ovum said, “Nokia's decision to unveil its second generation Lumia devices in the US is extremely significant for the Finnish handset manufacturer, which has always struggled to make an impact in the country, even before the advent of Apple’s iPhone. But this is also a notable launch for Microsoft, which needs to pull out all the stops to guarantee greater awareness and demand for Windows Phone 8 devices, among consumers, business users and carriers."
“There could be also a real opportunity here for Nokia and Microsoft to exploit any shortage of Samsung’s Android-powered smartphones in the market following the US court ruling against the Korean giant in its patent dispute with Apple, although anything too blatant on that front would seem like a low blow,” the Ovum analyst said.
Lumia 920
The Lumia 920 has a 4.5-inch (11-cm) screen and an 8.7- megapixel camera with a so-called floating lens that uses software for image stabilization, Nokia Chief Executive Officer Stephen Elop said today at a news conference in New York.
The Nokia Lumia 920 includes the PureView imaging innovation. Using advanced floating lens technology, the camera in the Nokia Lumia 920 claims to be able to take in five times more light than competing smartphones without using flash, making it possible to capture clear, bright pictures and video indoors and at night. It also compensates for hand movement while the photo is being taken. It also comes with Nokia City Lens, the latest addition to the Nokia location suite. By pointing the camera at a city street, City Lens overlays information about restaurants, shops, hotels and more on the surfaces of buildings. Nokia City Lens is the start of a new augmented reality experience that also enhances Nokia Maps, making it possible to move between maps view and augmented reality view to help people check their direction and surroundings.
Nokia Lumia 820
The Nokia Lumia 820 is mid-range smartphone that has the same unibody look and feel as the high end Lumia smartphones, it comes with an exchangeable shell design. Beneath the shell is room to insert a micro SD memory card. The Lumia 820 screen measures 4.3 inches, has an 8-megapixel camera.
The Nokia Lumia 920 comes in yellow, red, grey, white and black. The Nokia Lumia 820 comes in red, yellow, grey, cyan, purple, white and black.
Both phones will be available in pentaband LTE and HSPA+ variants and are expected to start shipping in select markets later in the year. Nokia will announce pricing and specific roll-out dates country by country when sales are due to begin.
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