Nokia Announces New Windows 8 Lumia Smartphones (PHOTOS) (VIDEO)

Nokia Announces New Windows 8 Lumia Smartphones

Nokia has announced a huge update to its flagship line of Lumia smartphones.

The new Lumia 920 is Nokia's all-new, high-end device. It features a 4.5-inch curved glass display, 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 dual core processor, an 8.7-megapixel camera, wireless charging and will run Microsoft's new Windows Phone 8 operating system.

Nokia said that the 920 will have a "better than HD resolution" with its PureMotion HD+ screen technology built-in.

Claiming that the screen was its "best smartphone display innovation" in its history, Nokia said it helps "keeps moving content sharp and flicker-free".

"The effect is a bright colourful display that you could even see in the desert," said Nokia's Jo Harlow.

Nokia also announced the mid-range Lumia 820, which it said "delivers high-end performance in a compact package".

The 820 has a similar look and feel to the 920, with exchangeable shells to allow users to customise their phones.

It has a 4.3-inch 800x480 screen, the same 1.5-ghz Snapdragon S4 processor as the 920 and an 8mp camera. With the use of a specially designed cover, the phone will also feature the same wireless charging capability as the 920.

Nokia 920

Nokia Lumia 920 & 820

Nokia claimed the devices were "the most innovative smartphones in the world".

The Lumia 920 is available in red, yellow, white, black and grey, while the 820 is available in a variety of colours with replaceable shells.

Above: the 920 and 820 compared spec-for-spec

Nokia took time to push the PureView technology in the camera of its flagship Lumia 920. The company claimed the camera is the highest-quality smartphone camera in the world - but admitted it is not the same camera as that seen in its truly remarkable Nokia PureView 808, which can shoot photos with a 41-megapixel sensor.

Instead the PureView has an 8.7-megapixel Carl Zeiss lens. Nokia said it will correct for a user's hand movements and improve how the camera deals with different lighting conditions.

The 920 and 820 will run a , and have wireless charging built-in, allowing users to replenish the phone's battery without plugging in the device.

Above: the 920 and 820 will be able to connect to speakers and charge wirelessly

Nokia said that the touchscreens in the new devices will be "super sensitive", meaning unlike most phones you can operate it while wearing gloves.

Nokia also announced improvements to its suite of navigation and transportation apps.

Among the upgrades is 'City Lens', an augmented reality browser which lets users view reviews, details and information about shops and information overlaid on the device's camera.

Above: the new Nokia Lumia 920 features wireless charging

The company hopes that the phones will help improve its financial position, which has suffered in recent years as the company struggled to find a foothold in the smartphone space.

"Across all of our strategy we said Nokia would differentiate, we said Nokia would create a unique Nokia experience," said CEO Stephen Elop.

Microsoft CEO Steve Balmer said the new devices would provide a foundation for the new Windows Phone 8 software.

"The launch today of the two new Lumia devices really fills out of the proposition in a really powerful way," he said.

The news seemed to go down well initially, as both "nokia" and "switchtolumia" were trending on Twitter within minutes of the announcement.

But it was not all good news - investors did not seem convinced by the new device. Nokia's stock price was down more than 10% less than an hour after the announcement was made.

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