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Nokia takes the wraps off its first Windows Phone 8 devices

Summary: Nokia showed off its first two Windows Phone 8 devices, which are likely to be available later this fall.

Mary Jo Foley

By for All About Microsoft |

On September 5 in New York, Nokia took the wraps off its first two Windows Phone 8 devices, due out later this fall.

nokiasept5

The Lumia 920, codenamed "Phi," is a 4.5-inch HD PureMotion display phone with a dual-core 1.5 Ghz CPU. It supports NFC, Blutooth 3.0 and wireless charging (using a FatBoy wireless charging pillow as one option). It includes a rear-facing PureView camera, plus a 2 MP front-facing camera and comes in yellow, red and gray, in addition to the existing Nokia Lumia colors. (I think the existing colors continue on... Anyone know for sure?)

The Lumia 920 phones will support new Nokia-developed apps, including the City Lens augmented-reality app, which recently exited beta, and its streaming-music app, Nokia Music (which just became available in the U.S.

lumia920

Nokia also announced the Lumia 820, codenamed "Arrow," is a 4.3-inch OLED phone with a dual-core 1.5 GHz CPU inside. It supports NFC, Bluetooth 3.0 and features Carl Zeiss optics in its rear-facing camera. The 820 has removable shells (red, yellow, gray purple, black, silver). It also supports the same wireless charging (via the FatBoy pillow, among other options) as the Lumia 920

Last week, Samsung showed off the ATIV S, the first of a number of new Windows Phone 8 devices expected to debut over the next several months. HTC is expected to show off its Windows Phone 8 devices on September 19 in New York. Microsoft is on tap to launch the Windows Phone 8 platform on October 29 on the west coast. The first Windows Phone 8 devices are expected to ship starting in early November.

Neither Microsoft nor Nokia officials shared any update on pricing, availability or carrier support at today's event. 

Update: Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer did make a prediction of interest today. He said a year from now, Microsoft believes there will be 400 million new phones, tablets and PCs (in total) running Windows 8 or Windows Phone 8 in the market.

Microsoft execs showed off a couple of new Windows Phone 8 features at the Nokia event today, including new "lenses" (filters) and the ability to capture screen shots on the phones. 

Update No. 2: Here are Nokia's spec sheets for the Lumia 920 and the Lumia 820.

Topics: Smartphones, Microsoft, Nokia, Windows

About

Mary Jo has covered the tech industry for more than 25 years for a variety of publications and Web sites, and is a frequent guest on radio, TV and podcasts, speaking about all things Microsoft-related. She is the author of Microsoft 2.0: How Microsoft plans to stay relevant in the post-Gates era (John Wiley & Sons, 2008).

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86 comments
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  • Nice Phones

    But pricing, availability and full specifications would have made the announcement better.

    Also, one can wonder when Microsoft is going to fully lift the wrap over Windows Phone 8. Time is running out before October 26th.

    Except if they plan for a simultaneous unveiling.
    TheCyberKnight
    Reply 2 Votes

    • agreed

      When will MS and friends learn that you don't do vaporware press conferences. If you want to generate excitement follow Apple/Google,

      "today we are showing you the future"
      "you can buy it next week"
      "it will cost X, and here are the plans"
      mobile_manny
      Reply 16 Votes

      • Hmm...

        Because the sheer number of people who mention the Surface tablets every time they bring up Windows 8 means revealing that tablet early was such a bad idea! -_-
        Jeff Kibuule
        Reply 5 Votes

      • Right on the head

        This is really bad for a company that is on the edge. They wanted so bad to get out the announcement before Apple that they rushed it and released a half baked product introduction. Apple will now do their normal stellar job of announcements and this product will be but a memory in the back of someone’s head as they hand over money for the latest Apple product. No wonder the W7 phone is going nowhere.
        KBabcock75
        Reply 7 Votes

        • True, except they get to announce it twice.

          KBabcock, I agree the vaporware announcements are obnoxious. But it does lend a certain hedge to enthusiasm over the Apple announcement, and they do get to announce it twice.
          Norman Willis
          Reply 3 Votes

        • FAIL.

          One more prediction by a hater that fails to rationally connect any one point its making to any facts in existance.

          One thing has become abundantly clear. The haters really want Windows 8 to fail, that much is clear. I guess its not hard to see why because if Windows 8 does take off in a big way, it will put modern operating system developement headed in a different direction than Apple and Linux are heading and Microsoft will have a massive lead. Scarry posabilities for both Apple and Linux.

          Imagine, Microsoft way out in front with a significantly different approach to operating systems that the public embraces. Wow.

          Very frightening for Linux and Apple.

          What also is clear is that the haters are now reaching to the bottom of the barrel of complaints to where all thats left for them to offer up is "Windows 8 will fail horribly because I dont like it and I hope it fails".

          For obvious reasons, that itself is about as big a fail as there is.
          Cayble
          Reply 4 Votes

          • So they drown. Who cares.

            That's all very nice for Microsoft, but Nokia is in serious financial difficulty. They are burning through their cash reserves at a much higher rate than they forecasted only a quarter ago. They are losing money at a much higher rate than they forecasted. They warned of even worse numbers coming in Q3, and they may not make those.

            They're laying people off in 5-figure batches, and closing their factories.

            What that company needs is SALES. The WP7 Lumias may not have set the world on fire, but every one they sell helps keep the wolf from the door. There was no need for Elop to once again set his own product line on fire. "Wait, folks! Never mind what we're selling today, there's better stuff coming in November!"

            Microsoft doesn't care what happens to Nokia. You don't care what happens to Nokia. Nokia is just some poor schmuck that signed up to devote its entire product line to Windows Phone. In return for which, Ballmer gets up there and tells people there will be "400 new phones, tablets and PCs (in total) running Windows 8 or Windows Phone 8."
            Robert Hahn
            Reply 3 Votes

          • It was Nokia's choice, no?

            Another MS hater. I could make the same argument that Apple doesn't care about Nokia, but what sense woudl that make? At least MSFT gives them a chance, whether the corporation cares about Nokia or not.
            And you know, there are probably thousands of MSFT employees by now that care deeply about Nokia and have been working with them on a daily basis.
            You trot out the Large company doesn't care for company XX only when talking about MSFT.
            Apple gets a free pass? Google? Yeah, that's what I thought.

            I'm sure when you are done posting here you are heading for Slashdot to make similar remarks. Good for you.
            xuniL_z
            Reply 2 Votes

          • Read carefully

            Microsoft doesn't care what happens to Nokia. You don't care what happens to Nokia. Nokia is just some poor schmuck that signed up to devote its entire product line to Windows Phone. In return for which, Ballmer gets up there and tells people there will be "400 new phones, tablets and PCs (in total) running Windows 8 or Windows Phone 8."

            That's not what he said. What he said is that there will be 400 MILLION new phones, tablets and PCs in total runinng Windows 8/Phone 8 - that means devices of all manufacturers, including Nokia.
            sevenacids
            Reply Vote

          • sevenacids. Still don't get it.

            What is your point? Why do you suddenly care so deeply about Nokia and any mistreatment? What about all carriers using Droid devices besides Motorola, or as someone else said, Google laid out that cash for the patents, not for any concern over the company.
            WTH is your point, really.
            xuniL_z
            Reply Vote

          • And in the same way ...

            ... Google didn't care for Motorola either.
            jaykayess
            Reply Vote

          • Motorola

            It was Motorola's accountants that didn't have a clue, and helped Motorola flush away its advantages. Remember the iridium project? Cost billions but sold for eleven million dollars to venture capitalists, as accountants couldn't see beyond short term profits. It still makes a lot of money in large areas of the world where satellite phones are the only method of communication. The accountants are obviousy still at it, many years after they made my partner redundant. All those patents and technical expertise, sold for a few dollars. Idiots.
            cfc1900
            Reply 2 Votes

          • There is a lot of fear here on ZDNet regarding Microsoft

            I've noticed a huge increase in the FUD slinging Apple script reading posters here. "Don't buy the Lumia because Nokia is going bankrupt." I only wish they didn't make it quite so obvious. The quality of FUD from Apple is in serious decline. They need to hire better script readers.
            toddbottom3
            Reply 8 Votes

          • Perhaps...don't buy Nokia because they fake their ads?

            http://www.theverge.com/2012/9/5/3294545/nokias-pureview-ads-are-fraudulent

            Camera with OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) off...and with OIS on...except that the footage is clearly shot with something quite different than a guy on a bike with a 920.

            Ooops
            UGottaBKidding
            Reply 1 Vote

          • Compared to the "FUD slinging Microsoft script reading posters"?

            I find it funny that someone that has shown themselves to be a "FUD slinging Microsoft script reading poster" would complain so loudly. I seriously tried a WP 7 phone (Lumia 900) for a week, and couldn't return it fast enough. I would happily buy an Android phone, or even an iPhone for full price before I put up with a WP 7 phone for another day.
            Troll Hunter J
            Reply 2 Votes

          • Well...

            ...it would have been nice to know about the reasons, and to hear about the advantages of an Android/Apple device.

            "I seriously tried a WP 7 phone (Lumia 900) for a week, and couldn't return it fast enough."

            I mean, seriously, what's the value of a comment like that?
            sevenacids
            Reply 1 Vote

          • Ah the fear is strong with this one

            I notice a huge increase in the amount of FUD slinging you do towards Apple and their products. Why the fear? What about Apple's upcoming announcement scares you so much?
            athynz
            Reply Vote

          • I'm not a Microsoft "Hater"... just an MS "Mistruster"

            And back when I worked for Orange (UK), I got into trouble with my bosses for looking less than delighted at the news that we had "co-developed the world's first smartphone" with Microsoft. When asked why I didn't look happy, I replied that (up until that date) nothing good had EVER come from "colaborating" with Microsoft. Turns out I was right. Microsoft had co-developed the phone with a UK company called "Sendo" NOT with us, then tried to drive their "partner" into bankruptcy, and handed plans and prototypes over to a relative newcomer called "HTC". Sendo sued, after prevaricating Microsoft (who'd been caught red handed) settled out of court for a reputedly astronomical sum... AND a Gagging order (which is why you've not heard about it.) Being 100% right about something, when your boss was 100% wrong can be a surprisingly BAD career move....
            BigRonW
            Reply 2 Votes

          • The Sendo fracas was more about Sendo

            Dumping all that on MS and not looking how crap Sendo was at executing is disingenuous. I know a Brummy programmwer working on that and his story is different. As for a gagging order, don't exaggerate
            sonnet37
            Reply Vote

          • No Hater Here

            In fact, I've been accused of being a MS fanboy cheerleader around here - but I did vote fro mobile-manny's reply. I know they are in a tough spot because iPhone 5 is going to beat them to market, but I believe everyone is tiring of the sound of the air going our to a balloon with these ridiculous soft (impotent) launches of late - Surface, Lumia, Droid HD, Galaxy Note 2, etc. It will be interesting to see if Amazon today joins Apple and Google in announcing and SELLING a device in the same 10-14 day time window.
            dksmidtx
            Reply Vote
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