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Gadgets Quick Note: Nokia PureView Will Get Windows Phone Treatment
Jason Mick (Blog) - March 5, 2012 3:35 PM

15 comment(s) - last by benrumson.. on Mar 12 at 5:42 PM

Gorgeous camera makes this a must-buy Windows Phone

Remember Finnish phonemaker Nokia Oyj.'s (HEL:NOK1V) incredible "41 megapixel" PureView 808? The phone was more than just hype -- it was an engineering marvel packing Carl Zeiss optics paired with a sensor that was four times the size of that found in the camera of Apple, Inc.'s traditionally well-regarded (AAPL) iPhone 4S -- commonly viewed as an industry leader in image quality.

A smartphone to rival discrete digital cameras, the most baffling and disappointing aspect of the announcement was that the operating system involved was Symbian Belle, a soon-to-be-defunct in-house design from Nokia.

But just as the collective Darth Vader-esque "NOOOO!!!" swept the smartphone community, Nokia has apparently come to its senses, revealing that a Windows Phone variant (in the Lumia family) is on its way.

_{[Image Source: Fone Arena]}

Nokia SVP of Mobile Phones Jo Harlow broke the good news in an interview with Finnish newspaper Aamuleht. Better still, other sources say the phone is likely destined to hit American shores in Windows Phone form.

Nokia already has a very attractive Windows Phone lineup emerging in the U.S., led by the sleek and chic Lumia 900 LTE. But those attractive models may pale in comparison to the Lumia PureView 808 whose awesome optics would make it the Windows Phone to get -- period -- and perhaps even the phone to get of any smartphone, for photo buffs.

The phone is expected to carry Microsoft's coming Apollo release, and according to Ms. Harlow (translated), "I can’t say precisely when [the Windows Phone variant will launch], but it will not take very long."

_{(Click picture to view in full screen)}

So it sounds like a buyers -- possibly U.S. buyers, may be able to get their greedy paws on this marvelous device before the end of the year.

Perhaps this will be the must-have differentiator to finally draw customers to the impressive Windows Phone operating system, which arguably leads Android and iOS in intuitive, attractive interface design, though badly trailing those top players in sales. Perhaps that expensive Nokia partnership is finally paying off, after all.

Sources: Aamulehti [translated], WPCentral

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WP8

By Tequilasunriser on 3/5/2012 5:16:31 PM , Rating: 4

If Nokia could bring a Windows Phone 8 LTE phone with a dual core A15 based processor and expandable memory (Micro SD) to Sprint I'd buy it.

Hopefully it happens before the end of the year.

RE: WP8

By apinkel on 3/5/2012 5:24:46 PM , Rating: 2

Ditto

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RE: WP8

By jnemesh on 3/5/2012 6:24:47 PM , Rating: 1

I think you are hopelessly optimistic to think that something like that would appear by year end! At BEST we will see the single core Nokia "flagship" phones arrive, probably late at that. Dual core? WP7 "doesnt need" it, remember? Seriously, Nokia has been abysmally slow with their WP7 launch, I wouldn't expect dual core phones until this time next year...assuming the platform survives that long!

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RE: WP8

By Mitch101 on 3/5/2012 9:19:33 PM , Rating: 2

Ben Rudolph betting $100 that Windows Phone is faster
http://www.wpcentral.com/ben-rudolph-betting-100-w...

Microsoft 30 wins, 3 losses, and 1 draw.

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RE: WP8

By piroroadkill on 3/6/2012 9:33:59 AM , Rating: 2

They have godawful javascript performance, so you could beat that all day long.

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RE: WP8

By benrumson on 3/12/2012 5:42:01 PM , Rating: 2

Probably won't be long for Windows-808. Gotta figure that Win7.5 cellphone got hit by the 41mp camera bus AND Win7.5 sales were already crawling. There's no way Microsoft/Nokia can tolerate anything less than a "walk-off home run" for Christmas season 2012. The weekend before Thanksgiving, 2012, cellphone sales will be "game-over". Take a look at 2011 releases. In order to hit XMAS season, the releases were July 1 thru Labor Day. People need to change carriers to get best subsidized deal. Earlier market release is best

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RE: WP8

By DrChemist on 3/7/2012 11:14:18 AM , Rating: 1

All this demand for dual core from WP7 is ridiculous. Currently, the OS is so well optimized that it can run butter smooth with single core 1.5GHz. So why have a dual core that will eat more battery life if there is no need for it. The real issue is that most Qualcomm chipsets with single core have crap video chips on board. Adreno 200 and 205 on a new device is just ridiculous. It makes for slow gaming.

When WP8 "Apollo" comes out it will need the Quad Cortex A9 or Dual Cortex A15 because it will use the Windows 8 kernel and require more multitasking support. It will also need the graphics power of the newer chips PowerVR SGX6XX or Adreno 3XX to handle the higher resolutions and a camera like this with 41MP and still be butter smooth.

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Not sure why they'd wait for Apollo

By Labotomizer on 3/5/2012 4:19:16 PM , Rating: 2

Considering the specs fall within Tango/Mango specs. Give this LTE and put it on Verizon and I'd buy it outside of contract anyway.

Who knows, maybe Apollo on new devices is closer than we think. I'll definitely be switching when a Win 8 Phone hits Verizon this fall. Don't let me down VZW! I don't want to give up my cheap "unlimited".

RE: Not sure why they'd wait for Apollo

By chµck on 3/5/2012 5:15:32 PM , Rating: 4

It's because current winmo hardware can't manage huge pictures like the hardware in symbian phones can, so this probably hints that the next generation of winmo phones will have more powerful specialized photo hardware.

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Too bad,

By radium69 on 3/5/2012 10:00:39 PM , Rating: 2

Cause I like Symbian Anna and Belle. They have matured a long way and are still very powerful OS's.
The in depth settings are a plus and I really miss that on my windows phone...
Also Symbian is a very open system. You can customize a lot of things. For example you can prioritize your internet connections. (First wifi then 3G and then another wifi network)

Also when using Opera mini or mobile you circumvent the stock browsers slowness.
Quite a shame, cause I like symbian and all it's customization. Obviously, people see symbian and only think of the horror storries and emphasize them.
Even with the 600Mhz in my Nokia N8, opening up the gallery is fast and smooth. It's been very stable throughout everything. Hell i'm also using it for a DVR camera in my car.

Meh, atleast give us an option to manually configure it for windows phone or symbian...

Now I have no reason to upgrade anymore.

RE: Too bad,

By radium69 on 3/5/2012 10:05:05 PM , Rating: 2

Obviously I didn't read the article correctly and the symbian phone will be released, hurray! Now we are talking, peoples choice thats what it comes down to. :) Thankyou Nokia.

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not yet...

By zodiacfml on 3/6/2012 5:49:40 AM , Rating: 2

the screen resolution must be updated too. long wait.
by that time, compact cameras might have updated sensors to distance themselves from smartphones.

RE: not yet...

By Mint on 3/9/2012 2:56:21 PM , Rating: 2

Smartphones have an advantage in that they're not expected to house optical zoom. That lets them use significantly more compact optics.

Fitting a 1/1.2" sensor into a compact camera is going to be very difficult unless it foregoes optical zoom (4x is the minimum nowadays), and if it does then sales are going to be rough.

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This Is the Kind of Feature that Will Set WP Apart from the competition

By Arsynic on 3/6/2012 9:36:51 AM , Rating: 2

This is the spec sheet feature that will get the Verizon types wet with excitement. WP8 needs monster phones to spread hype and excitement.

808

By benrumson on 3/12/2012 5:20:12 PM , Rating: 2

Nearly perfect cellphone for my purpose. Clone Symbian-808, add Windows Apollo, prefer external SD slot. I would early exit my current contract for that phone.