Is this Nokia's last ditch attempt to take on Apple and Samsung? New handset has 41megapixel camera - the biggest of all phones
- - Lumia 1020 has a 41 megapixel camera - five times better than the iPhone 5
- - The 4.5-inch handset runs the Windows Phone 8 operating system
- - It comes in yellow, white and black and goes on sale this summer
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Nokia has unveiled a new smartphone with a 41-megapixel camera in its latest bid to catch up with rivals Apple and Samsung after years of poor sales.
The Lumia 1020 runs the Windows Phone 8 operating system and has a second-generation version of the high-quality camera the Finnish phone maker first added to its PureView 808 phone last year.
It is the best smartphone camera on the market with five times more megapixels than the iPhone 5 and 2.5 times more than Samsung's 16MP camera on its S4 Zoom.
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Nokia has unveiled the Lumia 1020 smartphone, pictured, in a bid to rival Apple and Samsung. It runs Windows Phone 8 and has an enhanced version of the 41MP camera first added to Nokia's PureView 808 last year - almost five times the megapixels of the iPhone 5
NOKIA LUMIA 1020 SPECIFICATIONS
Operating system: Windows Phone 8
Display: 4.5" AMOLED WXGA (1280x768), PureMotion HD+, high brightness mode, sunlight readability
Battery: 2000 mAh battery
Processor: 1.5 GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4
Main camera: PureView 41 MP with optical image stabilisation
Resolution: 7712 x 5360 includes Nokia Pro Camera, Xenon flash for still images, LED flash for video
Front-facing camera: 1.2 MP wide angle
Memory: 2GB RAM, 32 GB internal memory;
Cloud storage: 7 GB free SkyDrive storage
The Lumia 1020's camera also comes with up to 6x digital zoom that can capture 'more details than other smartphone cameras.'
This means pictures can be zoomed into and reframed without any of the image quality being lost.
Speaking at the launch event in New York, Nokia chief executive Stephen Elop said the handset - which is available in yellow, black and white - can capture pictures and video of 'amazing quality and amazing clarity'.
'Today I'd like to introduce to you all the next chapter in smartphone photography,' Elop said.
'The Nokia Lumia 1020 will change how you shoot and how you create forever.'
The Lumia 1020 uses the PureView technology previously seen on the Nokia 808, 920 and 928.
It has optical image stabilisation and the company claims the device 'is able to produce some of the sharpest images possible by any digital camera.'
This technology is combined with the Nokia Pro Camera application designed to make it easier for anyone to take professional quality images.
The app's interface makes changes to photos in real-time as the shot is taken so photographers can see what the final image will look like.
Using a new feature called dual capture, when the Nokia Lumia 1020 takes a high-resolution 38MP image it also takes a smaller 5MP version to make it easier to share online.
The Nokia Lumia 1020's 41MP sensor uses ZEISS optics with six lenses that make it possible to take better photos in low-light conditions.
The Lumia 1020's camera also comes with up to 6x digital zoom that can capture more details than other smartphone cameras and some digital cameras. This means pictures can be zoomed into and reframed without any of the image quality being lost
This also reduces the amount of blur in video and its Nokia Rich Recording feature 'handles sound pressure levels six times louder than conventional smartphone microphones.'
Nokia's latest high-end smartphone was revealed as the Finnish firm battles to arrest a steady decline in demand for its devices and reclaim ground lost to rivals Apple and Samsung.
A UK release date for the Lumia 1020 was not confirmed but the phone will be available in the US from July 26, priced at 299.99 dollars (£198) and it is expected in Europe 'this quarter'.
A UK release date for the Lumia 1020 has not been confirmed but the phone will be available in the U.S. from 26 July at $299.99 (£198) and is expected in Europe 'this quarter'
Tech bloggers responded enthusiastically about the camera and handset, but analysts questioned whether it was enough to help Nokia survive.
Nokia is pinning its hopes for a comeback in smartphones on Microsoft's Windows Phone - an operating system struggling to compete with Google's popular Android system.
Despite having the high-quality 41MP camera, the PureView 808 failed to live up to expectations and many analysts claimed this was because it was running Nokia's antiquated Symbian system.
While regular mobile phones still account for the bulk of Nokia's shipments, smartphones are viewed as crucial for its long-term survival because of their higher margins and increasing demand for web access from mobile phones.
Jo Harlow, Nokia's executive vice president in charge of smart devices, said the growing popularity of photo and video sharing meant more consumers will want better cameras.
'Taking pictures is in the top three things people do with a smartphone. It's a relevant feature to be focused on,' she told Reuters.
'To stand out you have to differentiate.'
The new Lumia's 41-megapixel count far exceeds those of the iPhone 5 and Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom, at 8 and 16MP respectively.
This is also higher than some compact cameras, although higher megapixels do not necessarily mean better photos as factors such as lens quality also affect the end result.
Using a new feature called dual capture, when the Nokia Lumia 1020 takes a high-resolution image or video it also makes a smaller copy to make it easier to share online. The Nokia Lumia 1020's 41MP sensor uses ZEISS optics with six lenses that make it possible to take better shots in low-light conditions
An example of the high-resolution images taken using the 41MP camera on the Nokia 1020
'The imaging capabilities here are extraordinary,' said Current Analysis analyst Avi Greengart.
But he added: 'It's still a Windows Phone. If somebody is looking for applications they're still going to look at iPhone.'
Earlier Lumia models won positive reviews from critics and technology blogs but have failed to halt a shift to Android phones.
Android and Apple's iOS together account for over 90 per cent of smartphone sales, according to research firm IDC.
One major handicap has been a lack of apps.
Windows Phone has only 160,000 apps, while rivals offer about five times as many because developers prefer to make them for the higher-volume operating systems.
WHAT DO THE EXPERTS THINK ABOUT NOKIA'S LUMIA 1020?
Ernest Doku, telecoms expert at uSwitch.com said: 'The Lumia 1020 truly takes mobile photography to the next level.
'Whether the mother of all cameras will entice phone fans away from Apple and Android devices is questionable, though.
'The popularity of ‘kitchen sink’ devices that deliver a rounded experience in terms of hardware, apps and services, casts doubt on the 1020’s wider appeal.
'There’s also a bigger issue at hand here. Looking past the allure of megapixels, Nokia still seems to lack focus when it comes to an important area – namely the lack of consumer interest in the Windows Phone platform.
'Nokia is struggling to find its true identity in a challenging market. At first glance the Lumia 1020 seems a master-of-one it remains to be seen whether gadget fans will opt for a Windows-powered handset over increasingly impressive - and diverse - competition.'
'Despite the quality of the device, I have some serious doubts about whether it will change Nokia's fortunes, and it risks becoming a niche product,' added IDC analyst Francisco Jeronimo.
He and other analysts have also said Nokia needs to step up advertising and promotion of its phones. Many have said telecom carrier partners, particularly in the United States, have failed to promote Nokia to their customers.
'This is the first real glimmer of hope for Nokia's resurgence and the viability of the Windows ecosystem in smartphones - provided Nokia, Microsoft, and their operator partners can convince consumers that this experience is indeed a leap forward,' said Forrester Research analyst Charles Golvin. 'That will be the real hard work.'
A UK photojournalist recently embarked on a photography project aimed at showing off the quality of cameras across the Nokia range - especially in low-light conditions.
Nick Ray took photographs of various people at night from across the country 'to shed light on their amazing stories that would otherwise go untold or unseen.'
All the pictures were taken using Nokia's Lumia 925 phone and included pictures of homeless drug addicts Liverpool, pictures taken backstage at London burlesque club The Box showing performers getting ready, images of Britain’s largest skatepark as sports enthusiasts hurl themselves through the air and a young mother training for a kickboxing championship in Leeds.
A photojournalist recently used the camera and PureView technology on the Nokia Lumia 925 to show off the camera's ability to take photos in low-light conditions. This shot shows backstage images of burlesque dancers at The Box club in Soho
Photographer Nick Ray also travelled to Leeds to capture a young mother training for the Junior World and European kickboxing championship, pictured left, and the Southampton docks, right. The photos were taken to highlight the Nokia Lumia 925 camera's ability to take clear photos at night
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