Nokia Lumia 928
Verizon Pushing Windows Phone 8.1 to Lumia 928, 822
Verizon Wireless today made Windows Phone 8.1 with the Denim update available to the Lumia 928 and Lumia 822. Windows Phone 8.1 adds Cortana, adjustable home screen columns, and other features. The update is free. Microsoft said WP8.1 for the Lumia Icon is on deck for early 2015.
Nokia Details Amber Update for Lumia Phones
Nokia is pushing out a significant system update to its Lumia smartphones. The Amber update, as it is called, adds a number of features to devices such as the Lumia 521, 820, and 928, which are sold by T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless. First, the update adds the Nokia Smart Camera application. This app first debuted on the Lumia 925. It includes features such as Best Shot, Motion Focus, and Action Shot for capturing more artistic images. The Amber update also adds the Nokia Pro Camera application to the Lumia 928. The Pro camera app is the same, powerful app found on the Lumia 1020. It offers granular control over most of the camera's features. Other features added with the Amber update include the Nokia Glance Screen, which populates the display with a clock and status indicators when the phone is locked. The Amber update also adds flip-to-silence and double-tap-to-wake, as well as better controls for managing on-board storage. Timing of the Amber update is up to each carrier involved. Neither T-Mobile (Lumia 521, 820) nor Verizon Wireless (Lumia 928) has said when they will offer the Amber update to their customers.
Nokia Announces Lumia 928 for Verizon Wireless
Nokia today announced the Lumia 928, a new Windows Phone smartphone for Verizon Wireless. The Lumia 928 features powerful imaging capabilities with Carl Zeiss optics and optical image stabilization to improve image sharpness. The camera rates 8.7 megapixels and has an aperture of f/2 for improved low-light image capture. It also includes a Xenon flash. The video camera, which has its own LED light, will be aided by three microphones that can handle high-volume, high-pressure events, such as concerts, and still offer clear, distortion-free recordings. It captures video at 1080p HD. There is also a 1.2-megapixel user-facing camera that can capture 720p HD video. The Lumia 928 includes a 4.5-inch OLED 1280 x 768 HD Clearblack display that is protected by Gorilla Glass. Nokia says the display as a pixel density of 334ppi and it offers 500 nit brightness. Other features include wireless charging, a 1.5GHz dual-core Qualcomm processor with 1GB of RAM, LTE 4G, a polycarbonate design, Nokia's HERE suite of location-based apps, and 32GB of internal storage. The Nokia Lumia 928 will be available online and in stores May 16 for $99.99 with a new contract after $50 mail-in rebate. For a limited time, Lumia 928 buyers will get a $25 credit for Windows Phone apps and games with the purchase of the phone.
Lumia 928 Leaked by Nokia
A print ad and an official web page reveal an unannounced Windows Phone smartphone from Nokia called the Nokia Lumia 928. The device appeared in an advertisement in Vanity Fair magazine and the ad included a link to Nokia's U.S. web site, which is live and shows a picture of the device. The print ad refers to PureView technology and optical image stabilization as features of the Lumia 928, but no other details were revealed. Last month, Nokia CEO Stephen Elop said that the company planned to release a "hero" device with a major U.S. wireless network operator. The Lumia 928 could be that device.
Nokia CEO Says 'Hero' Device On the Way
Nokia CEO Stephen Elop this morning said, "Later this quarter a new Lumia device is anticipated to have hero status with a leading U.S. carrier." The comments were made during the company's call with media to discuss its quarterly results. Elop also said this hero device marks "the beginning of a season of new product introductions." Nokia has not introduced a flagship-grade device since the Lumia 920, which was released about six months ago. Nokia has, however, announced several mid-range and low-end Windows Phone 8 devices, including the 720 and 521 (headed to T-Mobile USA next month). Nokia lost $196 million on revenue of $7.65 billion. Shipments of its Lumia devices improved from 4.4 million during the fourth quarter of 2012 to 5.6 million during the first quarter of 2013. Sales of what Nokia qualifies as "smart devices" (includes Symbian, et al.) dropped quarter-over-quarter from 86.3 million to 61.9 million.
