The new Nokia Lumia 928 is allegedly going to be revealed sometime this month (some say May 22, to be exact), and alongside beefed up specs, some are expecting Microsoft to announce that Instagram will finally be available on Windows 8 phones.
As we reported on May 1, the rumor is essentially that Microsoft will use the Instagram app announcement in order to boost the launch of the Nokia Lumia 928. Alongside the photo-sharing app, there are other app and game announcements in the works, too.
Obviously, one of the big deficiencies on Windows 8 Phones is that their app offerings aren't nearly as robust what you can find on iOS and Android. Nokia's done an admirable job trying to fill in the gap, but even it recognizes that to succeed it needs a diverse Windows Store ecosystem.
If these Instagram rumblings are to be believed, Microsoft and Nokia are looking to alleviate the problem for the Lumia 928, but will it be enough?
To be sure, Instagram would go a long way toward ensuring customers give the Lumia 928 a serious look. And with other services like Twitter and Spotify hitting Windows Store, the Lumia 928 already has some apps that Nokia could put at the forefront of its advertising that it couldn't before. Windows 8 phones still have nowhere near the quantity of apps that iOS and Android do, but if it can even the playing field in terms of apps that most people use, it would stand a better chance at drawing in more users.
Another issue Microsoft and Nokia need to deal with is visibility. In its last Windows 8 phone commercial, as iPhone and Galaxy S owners destroyed a wedding over their rivalry, two actors asked, "You think if they knew about the Nokia Lumia they'd stop fighting all the time?"
As others around the Internet have pointed out, Microsoft inadvertently stumbled into admitting that no one knows (or cares) about the Lumia 920. If the company wants to make up ground, it needs to hit the ground running with the Lumia 928. Redmond has already released a Google Play app that analyzes an Android user's programs and matches them up with Windows 8 apps. It needs to continue to place its phone on equal footing regarding software while promoting the things that make its phone unique.
If Microsoft and Nokia can do that with the Lumia 928, it might have a chance at really boosting Windows Phone visibility. If not, the whole partnership could be in for a rough second half of the year.
