A step too far? Perhaps. By iterating its Windows Phone range so much, it’s difficult to see why one low-end Lumia is better than the other. The principal nitpick of Nokia’s Lumia 610, is that its dwarfed by the similarly-priced yet better-specced 710. But does it do the job as an ultra-budget handset? Well, this is your opportunity to tell us, you never know, maybe some of the folks from Finland are reading what you say, too.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Microsoft, Nokia
Sales of Nokia handsets in the North American market dived by 50-percent in Q3 2012 versus the previous quarter, the company has confirmed, with just 300,000 phones sold in the lucrative region. In fact, Nokia sales only increased in Q3 in two markets – up 10-percent in Europe and 5-percent in Asia-Pacific – with Greater China sales ditching 27-percent and Latin America down 9-percent, for a total decline of 1-percent in volumes compared to Q2 2012.
Year on year, the numbers are even more dismal, with overall volumes stopping 22-percent. In the same period, net sales dropped 34-percent.
Nokia blames “lower operator and distributor demand for Lumia as well as our efforts to prepare the distribution channel for the upcoming sales start of new devices” for the drop in North America, while sales in China were down because of “competitive pressures” trampling on Symbian interest.
There’s frustration ahead for existing Lumia owners, however, with the news earlier this year that their hardware would not be compatible with the next version of Windows Phone. Instead, they’ll get Windows Phone 7.8, a UI refresh, but few of the underlying software improvements. How that might impact the warm, fuzzy feelings toward the Finnish firm by early-adopters remains to be seen.
All hopes are now on Nokia’s new Windows Phone 8 line-up, which currently consists of the Lumia 920 flagship and the Lumia 820 mainstream handset. Nokia is also focusing on wireless charging as a differentiator, though the company has been criticized for the relatively high prices of its charging accessories.
Nokia North American phone sales slashed in half in Q3 is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
Those of you wanting to get in on the Windows Phone game with Nokia‘s next-generation smartphone lineup but don’t want to shell out the cash might be happy with what’s been leaked today – a Nokia Lumia 510. I emphasize “might”, especially since this device has been tipped as coming with Windows Phone 7.8, the version that was revealed with Windows Phone 8 with nearly – but not quite – the same features as the futuristic Microsoft mobile OS. This device has been spotted in a blurry photo and in hands-on video format.
What you’ll be working with here is a single-core 800Mhz processor from Qualcomm and shell that looks rather similar to the Nokia Lumia 710 [see our review here]. The big difference is in the physical buttons and the fact that this device does not appear to be working with a USA carrier at the moment – though there is an international version of the 710 too, for those of you wondering. This handset is more than likely set to be released in China first and foremost for those just jumping in on Windows Phone.
Please excuse the terrible quality of the video, but do note that the device does appear to pretty much be a legitimate model if not a final working device.
For everyone else, the specifications of this device might not impress fully – a 5 megapixel camera on the back, no front-facing camera, and a 4-inch LCD up front as well. This device will fit in your hand perfectly will and will likely come in a variety of case colors on the back. Look for this device to appear in your local China-based mobile carrier within the next couple months, more than likely. This device has been tipped to be costing aproximately $150 USD (converted) with a 2-year contract) and will be working with 4GB internal memory and 256 RAM.
Have a peek at the timeline below to get a handle on what else is coming from Nokia in the weeks ahead – it’s a Lumia festival. Along with the Nokia Lumia devices we saw in New York City what seems like yesterday, you’ll be getting Windows 8 compatibility with full Windows Phone 8 software integration. Nokia is one of Microsoft’s best buddies on this set of devices, so you’ll be getting the full Windows Phone 8 experience without a doubt!
[via GSMArena]
Nokia Lumia 510 leaks for tight pockets is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
If you love Groupon deals and have a phone capable of running Nokia Maps, then boy does Nokia have the update for you. Today, Nokia’s Pino Bonetti announced that Nokia Maps has been updated and now includes support for Groupon Now! deals. This means that you’re never too far from the next great Groupon deal, as Groupon Now! allows you to purchase them and use them immediately. Pretty cool, no?
Bonetti explains the process of buying a Groupon deal on your phone in a post on the Nokia Conversations blog – when you’re looking for something in Nokia Maps, you’ll be alerted to Groupon deals at nearby places. Each deal listed on your map comes with an “exhaustive description,” and deciding to buy one will take you to the Groupon mobile site where you’ll complete your purchase. Unfortunately, those living outside the US are out of luck for the time being, as Groupon Now! deals are currently only available in the US due to their “geographically limited” nature.
Support for Groupon Now! isn’t the only thing Nokia is touting with this update. Nokia has introduced a new feature called “advanced route setting” in this update, which allows users to plan trips within the Nokia Maps app. Select your starting point and destination, tell the app if you’ll be walking, driving, or taking public transportation, and you’re good to go. Nokia also says that users can save the route to their start screen, so it will be ready for future trips.
At this point in time, Nokia Maps is only compatible with the Nokia Lumia 610, 710, 800, and 900, so if you don’t own one of those models, then this update doesn’t apply to you. Users can get the update by either waiting for the notification from the Windows Phone Marketplace or downloading it from the Nokia Collection. It sounds like an excellent update, so if you’re a regular user of Nokia Maps, be sure to grab it.
Nokia Maps updated with support for Groupon Now! deals is written by Eric Abent & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
Not all mobile news is destined for the front page, but if you’re like us and really want to know what’s going on, then you’ve come to the right place. This past week, Samsung introduced its first Windows Phone for China and both HTC and Samsung each chimed in about Android 4.1 — the sweet treat better known as Jelly Bean. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore the “best of the rest” for this week of June 25th, 2012.
Continue reading Mobile Miscellany: week of June 25th, 2012
Mobile Miscellany: week of June 25th, 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 30 Jun 2012 21:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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