Nokia has taken the wraps off its new 41-megapixel Windows Phone 8 (WP8) smartphone, the Lumia 1020.
The company announced the WP8-powered Lumia 1020 at its press event in New York as expected. The smartphone touts a colossal 41-megapixel camera and the PureView sensor includes the optical image stabilization (OIS) option, 6-lens Carl Zeiss optics, a manual shutter and Xenon flash.
"The Nokia Lumia 1020 sets a new benchmark in imaging, combining easy access to the advanced features and controls usually reserved for professional cameras with the simplicity and convenience of a smartphone," notes an AT&T press release. "This Windows Phone 8 device comes packed with an impressive second generation 41 megapixel sensor - the largest back side illuminated (BSI) sensor available on a smartphone - which lets you capture high-resolution photos and video and uniquely zoom-in or out and reframe the smaller details within your pictures."
"We want to take people on a journey from capturing pictures to recording and sharing their lives," added Nokia CEO Stephen Elop. "The Nokia Lumia 1020 will bring new meaning to pictures and continues to strengthen Nokia's leadership in imaging."
The Lumia 1020 features a 4.5-inch AMOLED PureMotion HD+ display with 1,280 x 768 pixels resolution (16:9 aspect ratio). Under the hood, the smartphone will house will a 1.5-GHz, dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 processor. The Lumia 1020 is made from supersensitive Gorilla Glass 3, and users will be able to operate the smartphone even when wearing gloves. The smartphone will be able to take HD video in 1080p at 30 fps and is capable of 4x zoom without loss in quality. Moreover, the Lumia 1020 lets users deploy 6x zoom in HD 720p.
The Lumia 1020 is apparently capable of capturing 34-megapixel and 38-megapixel image files. However, the device will also save a 5-megapixel version of the image so that users can easily share their photos on social networking sites such as Facebook or Twitter.
The 41-megapixel camera phone will be available exclusively on carrier AT&T in the U.S. before the end of July. Pre-orders for the handset begin July 16, with the device expected to hit the shelves on July 26. AT&T will offer the smartphone for $299.99 on a two-year contract.
The Lumia 1020 will come in three hues: black, white and yellow.
It remains unclear at this point when exactly the smartphone will reach other parts of the world. According to Nokia, the Lumia 1020 will make its debut in Europe and China sometime during the third quarter. The company also plans to ship an exclusive variant of the smartphone with Telefonica to select Latin American and European markets.
