Nokia hit CES with a brand new Windows smartphone – the Lumia 900. But can it light up the market?
The 4.3-inch AMOLED ClearBlack display which boasts next gen faster 4G web capabilities is being launched exclusively with US carrier AT&T but the Finnish giant has yet to confirm the availability of the 900 to Australia.
Nokia Lumia 900 running on Windows 7.5 Mango other features include longer lasting operating time with 1830 mAH battery and its primary camera includes ‘exclusive’ Carl Zeiss optics, with large aperture (F2.2) and wide angle focal length (28mm) for high-quality, uncropped 16:9 images even in low-light conditions.
The front-facing camera used for video calls boasts a large aperture or opening and a wide angle lens for sharp, bright images.
 Click to enlarge |
And like it predecessors, Lumia lives off Live Tiles Windows experience, bringing music, apps, games and web together in the same touch friendly interface and People Hub to connect with friends via Twitter, Facebook and email.
The 900 also offers GPS navigation via Nokia Drive, providing free voice-guided, turn-by-turn navigation with a dedicated in-car user interface.
Lumia also boasts a slew of preloaded exclusive content including: ESPN sports hub application for news, videos and scores, CNN App for Windows Phones providing the latest news and video from around the globe and direct access to iReport (free for 90 days).
 Click to enlarge |
It has also partnered up with EA on a deal which will see 20 of its most popular games come to the Windows Phone marketplace before rivals Android and Apple.
“The introduction of the Nokia Lumia 900 with AT&T is another significant milestone in the ongoing rollout of Nokia’s global smartphone strategy,” said Chris Weber, president of Nokia Americas.
“The Nokia Lumia 900 is designed specifically with the US in mind and the announcement of this collaboration with AT&T, in addition to other recent announcements, signifies a new dawn for Nokia in the US.”
The release comes on the back of less than spectacular sales of Nokia’s Lumia 800 phone, launched in Europe late last year, and yet to hit Oz.
Sales data from one site suggested it has captured just 0.17 per cent of the market. However, better times may be ahead, say Ovum analysts.
“While the Lumia 710 was announced earlier and launches this week, it represents a low-end offering and isn’t the best advertisement for Windows Phone on Nokia,” said Ovum chief telecom analyst Jan Dawson.
“While a capable device, it lacks some of the features that will set Nokia apart in the Windows Phone space, but the Lumia 900 rectifies that.”
