With an all-new aluminium frame and improved imaging capabilities, Nokia, on Tuesday, introduced Lumia 925, the third iteration of its Lumia flagship series here.
This ‘new interpretation’ of the Lumia 928, launched in the U.S. last week, is lighter by over 45 grams, and, at 8.55 mm, is a tad thinner than the previous model. But the big differentiator for this one, Nokia says, is improved imaging and its smart camera features, which occupied substantial demo space and time at the launch.
A large part of the demo was focussed on the new camera tweaks, including improved optics, faster photo editing capabilities, more camera lenses (the 925 uses six lenses, compared to five in the previous Lumia, allowing for clearer pictures in bright light) and firmware tweaks on noise reduction to allow for photo and videography in low light.
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Though the basic camera specs are the same as its predecessors with an 8.7-megapixel sensor, what Nokia’s boasting about is the fact that its smart camera offers images at over 5 megapixel. This, the company says, is an innovation none of its competitors has cracked yet.
The smart cam feature itself allows users to do a lot of quick photo editing, and improved software algorithms allow you to take high quality action images.
A few of these features are already on offer on Samsung and HTC smartphones, but Nokia claims the image quality offered far surpass competition.
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Nokia’s tryst with using metal in its phones appears to be aimed at improving its style quotient — not all-metal, they’ve retained a polycarbonate back panel — though the company maintains that it continues to be as invested in finding new ways to use and improve polycarbonate plastics in its devices. The decision to use metal was not just about doing what others are, but for the specific purpose of improving key functionalities related to antenna performance, Hans Henrik Lund, VP, Product Marketing, Smart Devices, said on the sidelines of the launch.
An addition to Nokia’s accessories is a wireless charging cover that can be clipped on to the back of the phone. The one feature that Nokia’s given a miss, however, is the Xenon flash it introduced in the last week’s model.
No India announcement
The phone is slated to be launched in the U.K., Italy, Germany and Spain in June; no details on an India launch were made available, though spokespersons said that a launch in most Asian markets was imminent. Among Asian markets, immediate plans for China were announced with tie-ups with China Mobile and China Unicom.
(This correspondent was in London at the invitation of the company)