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75 %
17.3 %
3.2 %
Others 4.5 %
IDC research for Q1 2013 :
Operating system Market share
Elop compares camera image quality at the launch of the new device in New York Consumers ’ lack of interest in Windows Phone will hamper Nokia , analysts say
“ The Lumia 1020 will change how you shoot , create and share pictures forever . You can see things that you have never seen before , with clear images and incredible zooming . You can literally find a needle in a haystack .”
Features Elop demonstrated the camera quality by comparing images taken on the Lumia 1020 with those taken on a Samsung Galaxy S4 and Apple iPhone 5 .
The images , which were of two Nokia staff jumping in the air ( see picture above ), were captured in the same room as the event was being held before the doors opened .
Both images taken from the Galaxy S4 and iPhone 5 were heavily blurred , while the one taken on the Lumia was clear .
According to Elop , this was down to the “ unique ” technology used by Nokia , including its ‘ second-generation optical image stabilisation ’ which helps images remain clear when moving , as well as its “ oversampling ” technology and Xenon Flash , which help capture images more clearly in low light conditions .
Elop said : “ We have helped people capture images for more than a decade and now we can help them see more than their eyes can . Blur-free , super high-detail photos day or night .
“ We are not done . Not by a long shot . In fact , we have only just begun this journey .
“ We have packed a lot of great experiences into the Lumia 1020 to help you take and share better pictures and videos . The Lumia 1020 has become the most versatile smartphone out there .
“ This is the next chapter in smartphone photography .”
Elop was later joined on stage by AT & T Mobility president and CEO Ralph De
La Vega who labelled the Lumia 1020 as the best Windows Phone device ever manufactured , with the best smartphone camera available today .
De La Vega said AT & T , which is the largest US network operator with more than 46 million subscribers , is the world ’ s biggest network reseller of Windows Phone handsets and expects the Lumia 1020 to be a “ popular addition ”.
“ This device sets a new standard and a higher bar in the industry when it comes to photography . I have never seen resolution as good as this . You have what is the best Windows Phone ever , with the best smartphone camera ever .”
Concerns However , while analysts branded the device as the clear market leader for camera technology – they remained sceptical as to whether the device will capture the imaginations of users – particularly those on high-end Android or iOS devices on a wide scale .
Francisco Jeronimo , research director , European mobile devices at IDC , said while Nokia ’ s strategy is admirable , the device may end up being viewed by the public as a niche product .
He highlighted recent research which questioned smartphone users in 25 countries on the most important features on their handset . Camera quality was ranked fifteenth on this list behind features such as audio quality , battery life , device security , ease of use , operating system , screen size and browsing speed .
In the first quarter of this year , 71 per cent of total smartphone shipments
Nokia Lumia 1020 features featured a five-megapixel camera or higher , but only four per cent featured a camera with a camera of 10 megapixels or more , highlighting the size of the market .
For this reason he has “ serious doubts ” the device will have a significant impact in turning the Finnish firm ’ s fortunes around .
“ This is unquestionably the best mobile camera on the market to date and Nokia deserves credit for that ,” said Jeronimo . “ But whether this will change Nokia ’ s fortunes depends on how serious Nokia is in compromising profits to improve market share .
“ Despite the quality of the device , however , I have some serious doubts about whether it will change Nokia ’ s fortunes , and it risks becoming a niche product . To be able to compete with Apple and Samsung , Nokia will need to price it aggressively and to increase activities in the stores to show consumers how better the camera performs against the competition .
“ I ’ ve never seen resolution as good as this – the best smartphone camera ever ” AT & T ’ s Ralph De La Vega
The Lumia 1020 runs the Windows Phone operating system and is powered by a 1.5GHz dual-core processor .
It is 10.4mm thick and weighs 158g , with standby and talk time of 16 days and 13.3 hours respectively .
Alongside the 41-megapixel camera , the smartphone houses Carl Zeiss optics with six physical lenses – the most found in a smartphone to date – as well as optical image stabilisation , which is designed to increase picture quality in low light conditions .
It also includes ‘ dual capture ’, which
The Lumia 1020 has six Carl Zeiss lenses – the most on a smartphone to date
“ Failing that , the Lumia 1020 will become a niche product for a niche segment – professional mobile phone photographers .”
He added : “ Of course the camera is the feature that consumers usually try first when they test a device , and a good quality picture will always have an impact . But the likes of Apple , LG , HTC , Samsung and Sony already deliver very good cameras in their flagship devices . Most smartphones now come with five , eight , or 12-megapixel cameras , and this offers enough quality for most users .” uSwitch . com telecoms specialist Ernest
enables the Lumia 1020 to simultaneously take a high-resolution , 38-megapixel picture , while also creating a fivemegapixel picture that can be shared on social networking websites .
Other features are a 4.5-inch AMOLED HD touchscreen made from Gorilla Glass , 1.2-megapixel HD wideangle front camera , HD video recording , a 2,000mAh battery with wireless charging supported by a clip-on cover , access to Nokia ’ s HERE navigation services , 32GB of internal memory and 7GB of free SkyDrive cloud storage .
The manufacturer is also releasing the Nokia Camera Grip accessory alongside the Lumia 1020 as a separately sold product . This is a snap-on cover that provides support for one-handed shooting , and includes a tripod mount . It will cost $ 79 (£ 52 ).
Doku agreed , claiming the manufacturer still lacks an identity in the market , and suggest a megapixel-rich camera may not be what customers want .
Concerns over the manufacturer ’ s “ gamble on Windows Phone ” will also hamper progress , given the “ lack of interest ” from consumers in the operating system ( see graph above ).
“ Whether the mother of all cameras will entice phone fans away from Apple and Android devices is questionable .
“ 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 ’ s huge gamble on the operating system hasn ’ t quite paid off thus far and despite seeing modest success with the Lumia range , the iconic iPhone and vast swathe of Android devices are eclipsing their best efforts in terms of popularity .
“ It ’ s struggling to find its true identity in a challenging market . Apple ’ s handsets play the jack of all trades masterfully , while Samsung has unveiled a range of hyper-niche devices – the Zoom , Active and Mini – all trading off the success of its Galaxy brand and targeting different types of consumer .
“ While the Lumia 1020 can ’ t be disputed that it wows in the camera phone stakes , it remains to be seen whether gadget fans will opt for a Windows-powered handset over increasingly impressive – and diverse – competition .”
Ovum principal analyst Tony Cripps said the cost of the device and the level of investment Nokia is willing to spend on marketing will play a major role in its success .
This , he claims , will be key in allowing Nokia to create a sense of differentiation in the market – although he doubts the device will achieve mass-market appeal .
“ While the Lumia 1020 looks to be the new belle at the smartphone ball , its debut will not necessarily attract a mass of suitors . Most obviously , the device will be expensive . Pricing has yet to be revealed but engineering of the kind on offer in the Lumia 1020 does not come cheap . Aggressive operator subsidies would no doubt help in that regard , but might detract from the device ’ s premium engineering and user experience .
“ Nokia , and Windows Phone more generally , still suffers from a lack of consumer awareness and marketing dollars compared with their key rivals , Apple and Samsung-plus-Android . While this situation is improving , these factors continue to put off many prospective consumers due a greater chance of favourite applications being unavailable .
“ As such , when lined up against rival devices such as the iPhone 5 and Galaxy S4 , the case for selecting the Lumia 1020 is less clear cut .”
MN 2013-0730 Nokia DPS . indd 28 24 / 07 / 2013 17:00