Nokia on Wednesday introduced a new smartphone that will serve as the flagship handset in its alliance with Microsoft.
Sponsored LinksTrailing its competitors globally in market share, Nokia unveiled several features in the new Lumia 920 that are designed to win back customers who have flocked to the Apple iPhone and phones that operate on the popular Android operating system
The 920 model, which will have a 4.5-inch screen, 32 gigabytes of storage and run on the next version of Microsoft's mobile operating system, Windows Phone 8, is aimed at a more discriminating customer base that values a high-end camera and a larger, clear display. The mid- to low-end model that was also released, Lumia 820, will have a 4.3-inch screen and 8 GB of storage.
MORE: An in-depth look at the Lumia's camera at DigitalCameraInfo.com
CEO Stephen Elop said he expects the new phones to be sold in the fourth quarter in select markets. Nokia didn't announce specific country availability, carrier partners or pricing.
Among the Lumia 920's features:
•Enhanced camera. The phone's "PureView" 8.7-megapixel camera uses its "floating lens" technology that can avoid dark and blurry images by capturing five times more light than other smartphones without using flash, Nokia says. "The technology reacts to minute movements in your hands," says Jo Harlow, a Nokia executive at the New York press conference to introduce the phone.
•Built-in navigation. Its pre-installed navigation software will offer voice turn-by-turn directions. Because it's available offline, users can retrieve it without an Internet connection. It will also contain public transportation information and a traffic condition estimator.
•High-definition screen. Its PureMotion HD+ screen will have a "sunlight readability" feature that adjusts the screen brightness to cut down on the glare. Users wearing gloves will be able to scroll the screen.
•Place finder. City Lens is an augmented-reality feature that shows names of shops and restaurants overlaid on the surfaces of buildings on the camera screen.
•Wireless charging. The phone can be charged wirelessly when it is placed on a charging pad, which is sold separately. The system uses the Qi standard, developed by a consortium of companies that are pursuing a common wireless charging technology.
It'll also have the largest battery to date installed on Nokia phones and a faster Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 processor.
As part of a corporate restructuring in 2011, Nokia struck a partnership with Microsoft that would feature the Windows Phone operating system in Nokia's smartphones.
But the companies' partnership has struggled against Google's Android and Apple's iOS operating systems. Android, which is used in Samsung phones, continues to be the most dominant operating system
worldwide, accounting for 68% of all smartphones shipped in the second quarter, research firm IDC says.
Apple's iOS accounts for 17% of the global market. Apple is scheduled to launch its next generation
iPhone on Sept. 12, which could help drive its market share.
"Nokia has done a great job differentiating itself in terms of design," says Avi Greengart, an analyst at technology research firm Current Analysis.
But Microsoft has yet to convince consumers that its operating system is a viable alternative to Android and iOS, he says. "It's a great operating system," he says. "But they have to convince consumers that apps will come. The Windows phone hasn't always been a priority for developers."
