Windows Phone overtakes Blackberry in France

Its been a while coming, but Windows Phone has finally been able to close the gap with Blackberry OS in France, a combination of a slow but steady rise of Windows Phone penetration and a similar fade of Blackberry market share.

This leaves Windows Phone ahead of Blackberry in France, Germany, Italy and Ireland, but of course still behind in countries where Blackberry is particularly popular such as Spain and UK.

The trend overall is however very clear, which should only add to the woes up in Waterloo.

Nokia Lumia 800 gets some great product placement in latest M83 ‘Reunion’ video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJQQrjVmQG0&feature=player_embedded#!

Nokia Lumia 610 reviewed–better specs than iPhone 3GS, cheap Androids

Pocket-lint have reviewed the new Nokia Lumia 610.

While the specs of the handset of unlikely to excite any of our readers, Pocket-lint does a good job of comparing it to other handsets in the same price range, and found it generally superior.

They found the handset snappy, battery life adequate and the camera better than expected (see an example above). The design, while not ground breaking, was also not embarrassing, like other cheap Androids.

They note in terms of specs and capabilities the Lumia 610 is best compared to the iPhone 3GS and certainly better than most Android handsets that they note are incredibly slow and “nasty to use.”

They conclude:

The Lumia 610 offers a very user friendly experience for the first-time smartphone user.

It’s enjoyable to use, as a phone "just works" and comes with enough extras and goodies – Nokia Drive, Nokia Music, Nokia Transport that it will go down well with those that try it.

However Nokia’s biggest challenge will be to convince people to try it, to convince them that they don’t want the plethora of apps the iPhone offers, or the friendly cuddle of BBM and a keyboard.

Against the low-end Android handsets this is a no-brainer, the experience is just miles better, but something tells us the salesman keen to sell you an Android handset when you walk into the store isn’t going to take no for an answer, and that’s a shame.

If you are looking for your first smartphone, be strong, you won’t be disappointed.

Nokia Lumia 900 Pre-Orders Begin In Russia

Nokia Lumia 900 launch should further push the sales of Windows Phones in Russia where they are already outselling Apple iPhone.

International Nokia Lumia 900 launch help push Windows Phone users to 13 million

 

While the number of Monthly Active Facebook users in the people hub is only a secondary indicator, it has been pretty reliably in the absence of official activation numbers from Microsoft.

The number has just crossed 2 million  monthly active users, a significant spurt which only too 14 days since hitting 1,900,000.  The most likely reason for the graph tipping upwards is the international roll out of the Nokia Lumia 610 and Nokia Lumia 900, which by all accounts is selling pretty well in Finland and may be doing the same elsewhere.

If the current growth spurt can be maintained over the next month, we estimate around 4.2 million Windows Phones will be sold in Q2 2012, up from around 3 million in Q1 2012.  While this number is encouraging, it is likely shy of the doubling in sales Nokia share holders would be hoping for, but then slow and steady growth has seemingly always been the blessing and curse of Windows Phone.

Of note of course is that Windows Phones sold in China lack Facebook integration, and would therefore not show up in these stats, and may be enough to tip the scale into a 5 million handset quarter.

Pre-order the Limited Edition Batman Lumia 900 from Phones 4u

UK mobile phone retailer Phones 4u has published their pre-order page for the limited edition Batman Lumia 900. Available for pre-order today, the special Lumia 900 is set to be in stock online and in selected flagship Phones 4u stores from June 1st.

As well as receiving the limited edition Windows Phone, each purchase will be bundled with cinema tickets to see The Dark Knight Rises, with a chance to win a VIP experience at the premier. Phones 4u states this offer is also available to those who purchase standard Lumia 900s (in case black isn't your colour).

The device itself features a Nokia app for The Dark Knight Rises that packs wallpapers, trailers, ringtones and a location-based game using Foursquare. The limited edition Batman Lumia 900 is available for free on contracts starting at£30/mo on Orange and Vodafone, but should you wish to purchase one without a plan, you'll be set back by £599.95.

Selected flagship Phone 4u stores, which will all stock the Batman Lumia 900 are as follows: Merry Hill (Dudley), Newcastle upon Tyne, Metro Centre (Gateshead), Milton Keynes, Birmingham, Plymouth, Oxford Street (London), Stratford (London), Manchester, Luton, Portsmouth, and Cardiff.

Lumia 900 TV advertisement shows off Windows Phone features

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIAKfWEZ3Vw&feature=player_embedded

Nokia has an enticing television advertisement for Germany, which sports an identical theme to commercials aired in other countries. What's special about the Lumia 900 in to Germany is a 32GB version (16GB only - was a typo on O2's end), which appears to be exclusive to O2 DE thus far, is on its way.

This Windows Phone will feature the amount of storage that has been continuously requested by consumers. Still no word on when the device will be available for order, but for the meantime (should storage not be an issue) you can always pick up the16GB version from Amazon.

“Smoked By Windows Phone” Contest In Singapore To Promote Nokia Lumia 900(Video)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=jbGsomEaL5c

Nokia launched the new Lumia 900 device in Singapore last week. As part of the promotions of the new device, Nokia Singapore organized the popular “Smoked by Windows Phone” campaign in their country. As usual, Nokia Lumia Windows Phones smoked 51 other platform devices including iPhone 4S, Samsung Galaxy, etc, and lost once. I hope campaigns like these create more and more awareness among people on Windows Phone platform.

Finland´s Lumia 900 ad

Elegantly Different

Nokia Lumia 900 now available in Singapore on SingTel

The device seems priced well, S$248 which according to the site WP7SG is "considerably cheap" as the HTC One X  is being offered at S$318 on the same contract.--that's important and good news as the One X is considerable competition.

Nokia's Facebook page did boast the fact that the first five customers to their Nokia stores who purchase the Lumia 900 will get a free Xbox 360 Kinect Holiday Bundle, which is a heck of a deal and some great enticement. Since the 900 is off contract there at the Nokia stores, the price is considerably higher: S$849 at Nokia Store and "approximately S$720 at some stores such as Adix"

Featuring a 4.3" Super AMOLED screen with ClearBlack, 16GB of storage and an 8MP rear camera (plus front facing), the Lumia 900 ships with OS 87730 ("Tango") and should make quite a splash in Singapore.

Windows Phone strangely popular in Iceland

Pingdom have done a bit of research we always wanted to do.  We all know Windows Phone has its highest share in Finland, but we always wondered which countries were next in the list.

The next country in the list I would never have predicted – apparently Windows Phone is pretty popular in Iceland, with its population of 320,000 people.

Next is Martinique, a small island prefecture of France with a population of 400,000 off the coast of South America.

This is followed by the Faroe Islands, a small country with 50,000 people nestled in the ocean between Norway and Iceland.

The rest of the countries on the list are probably better known, and will of course have considerable larger populations.

While the overall score if 0.53% worldwide Statcounter share may appear small, the increasingly significant presence in major countries like Italy, Germany and Spain remains encouraging.

Unlocked Nokia Lumia 900 Now Available For £445.98 In Europe

The new Nokia Lumia 900 is now available in unlocked more for £445.98 from UnlockedMobiles.com. The unlocked device price of £445.98  is neither too high nor too low.

The Lumia 900 is also available for free under 2 year contract on some networks, so you can have it whatever way you want. The Lumia 900 will feature a 4.3inch AMOLED screen, 16GB storage, powered by 1.4GHz Scorpion processor.

Rovio Working On Angry Birds For Lumia 610 And Other 256MB RAM Windows Phones

A day before we reported about the incompatibility of Nokia Lumia 610 hardware with popular apps such as Angry Birds, Skype, etc,. So far Microsoft Skype didn’t announce anything that Skype will come to Lumia 610 devices later.

Now according to Nokia Finland blog, Rovio is already working on Lumia 610 compatible version of Angry Birds game. Even though there is no official date of release,  any Lumia 610 fans who were disappointed after our previous report should be happy to hear this one.

Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge now using a Storm Trooper Nokia Lumia 900

Windows Phone is slowly gaining a celebrity following.

The latest to fall for the sleek OS is LeVar Burton, also known as Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge on Star Trek: The Next Generation, who has tweeted that he loves his Lumia, and attached this picture.

This adds to the small but growing list of celebrities, including Apple’s Steve Wozniak and Flo-Rida, who have fallen under the spell of the great-looking and of course great-working handset.

Nokia Working On Waterproof Solutions For Future Lumia Windows Phone Devices

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=CaAL3PTbBJw

Last time we saw about the waterproof technology from Nokia as their research work, but now its closer to reality. During the Nokia Lumia 610 launch in London, Conor Pierce, Vice President of Nokia Western Europe unveiled the Superhydrophopic technology that makes your phone waterproof.

“The biggest challenge is making nanostructures robust enough to withstand every day wear and tear. You could put a superhydrophobic coating inside a device now because people can’t degrade it, it can’t get knocked around in your pocket. To put it on the outside is much, much tougher. But you want it on the outside because that’s where you see the effects of keeping your phone really clean.”

The Inquirer expects this technology to appear as standard on all future Nokia Pureview and Lumia Windows Phone handsets. Even we would like to have it on our Lumia devices!

Nokia Lumia 900 rated as “Best for Operating System” by Sunday Times UK

The Ingear section of today’s Sunday Times have posted a huge spread comparing today’s up and coming iPhone challengers.

There they compare the Android HTC One X, Samsung Galaxy SIII, Motorola Razr Maxx, Sony Xperia P and theNokia Lumia 900.

It is of note that the Nokia Lumia 900 scored the same 4 stars as the HTC One X and the Samsung Galaxy S III and was described as running the Windows Phone operating system which was “slicker than Android”and also that it offered free sat nav, always a great selling point and not mentioned for the Android handsets.

Ultimately the Samsung Galaxy S III won the comparison due to all its “bonus features” which some may call gimmicks, but it is still great to see a Windows Phone so well represented in the large circulation newspaper.

The handset only recently launched in UK on Phones4U where it was exclusive until today, but will hopefully appear on carrier shelves soon.

Nokia Lumia handsets starting to benefit from incidental advertising

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=I7-jtiMxiSk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgDjfBTBbKE&feature=player_embedded

Apple does not generally pay for product placement, yet their products appear in the majority of movies representing computers, phones and tablets.  That kind of unpaid incidental advertising only comes from having iconic products that represent a whole industry, at least in the minds of producers.

It seems in Brazil Nokia’s Windows Phones also have that brand power, as Nokia’s Windows Phones (and a wayward N9) shows up repeatedly in this clip from Brazilian TV channel Globo decrying the killing of the red phone box by mobile phones.

We have also seen the Nokia Lumia 800 show up in a number of Vodafone commercials in UK simply representing phones.

While Nokia does of course pay for product placement, this kind of placement on prime time news money cant buy. Hopefully we will continue to see more and more as time goes on and the brand recovers.

Nokia Lumia 900 Batman edition coming soon

Pocket-Lint reports that Phones4U will be selling a special edition Batman Nokia Lumia 900 in UK shortly.

The device will be made of black polycarbonate with the Batman logo laser etched into the body.

Like the earlier Nokia Lumia 800 Batman edition, the handset will likely come in a custom box, with the glossy Batman logo sitting on the matte background.

Nokia has won market share back in Finland after Lumia launch

Suomi löysi taas Nokian älypuhelimet

Matkapuhelinyhtiö Nokian kurssi on kääntynyt kotimarkkinoilla. Viime kesänä Nokian älypuhelinten markkinaosuus Suomessa romahti, mutta nyt Lumia-malliston avulla yhtiö on päässyt uuteen nousuun. Uskollisimpia Nokia-ystäviä ovat yrityskännyköiden hankkijat.

Matkapuhelimia valmistavan Nokian osuus Suomen älypuhelinmarkkinoista on lähtenyt kasvuun, arvioi tutkimusyhtiö IDC.

Alkuvuonna Nokian markkinaosuus oli jo 41 prosenttia, kun vielä viime kesän lopulla nokialaisten osuus kauppoihin toimitetuista älypuhelimista oli 31 prosenttia.

09:10OSAKE

Elisa

-1,05 %

16,00

-0,17

Nokia

+2,06 %

2,18

+0,04

Puolessa vuodessa kasvua kertyi kymmenen prosenttiyksikköä. Nousulla Nokiasta tuli taas selvästi suurin valmistaja Suomen älypuhelinmarkkinoilla.

Samsungin siivu kauppoihin toimitetuista älypuhelimista oli tammi–maaliskuussa 28 prosenttia ja Applen 21 prosenttia. Viime vuoden heinä–syyskuussa korealaiset myivät 25 prosenttia ja yhdysvaltalaiset 16 prosenttia Suomen älypuhelimista. Muiden valmistajien osuus tippui kymmeneen prosenttiin alkuvuonna.

IDC:n arvio koskee jälleenmyyjille toimitettuja puhelimia ja kertoo siitä, minkälaisten laitteiden kauppiaat uskovat käyvän kaupaksi. Se ei kerro, kuinka paljon jälleenmyyjät ovat oikeasti saaneet myytyä puhelimia.

Laskelmat koskevat yhden vuosineljänneksen eli kolmen kuukauden aikana toimitettuja uusia puhelimia. Ne eivät kerro, kuinka paljon esimerkiksi Nokian älypuhelimia on käytössä.

Windows Phone
käänsi kurssin

Suomi on pieni markkina-alue, ja älypuhelimet muodostavat vain osan maailman matkapuhelinmarkkinoista. Nokian osuus kotimarkkinoilla on kuitenkin eräänlainen koelaboratorio matkapuhelinyhtiölle.

Nokian nousun takana on Windows Phone -käyttöjärjestelmäpohjaisten älypuhelinten tulo markkinoille.

– Suomen markkinoilla Windows-puhelimet ovat lisänneet Nokian kokonaismyyntiä. Suomessa kaikki Windows-puhelinmyynti ei ole ollut pois Symbian-myynnistä, teleoperaattori Elisan liittymäliiketoimintajohtaja Henri Korpi sanoo.

Korven mukaan Nokian ajoitus Lumia-älypuhelinten lanseerauksessa oli onnistunut. Nokian kilpailijat toivat uudet älypuhelimensa markkinoille jo aiemmin syksyllä, kun Stephen Elopin johtama yhtiö odotti vuodenvaihteeseen.

Nokia sai olla vähän aikaa markkinoilla rauhassa, Korpi sanoo.

Yritykset luottavat
Nokiaan

Tutkimusyhtiö IDC:n mukaan Suomi oli yksi parhaista markkinoista Windows-puhelimille Euroopassa. Taustalla saattaa olla se, että suomalaisyritykset ovat edelleen Nokia-uskovaisia.

– Yritykset ovat perinteisesti hankkineet Nokiaa. Yritysmarkkinoilla Nokia ei ole laskenut niin paljon kuin kuluttajapuolella, Henri Korpi sanoo.

Korven mukaan Nokian kysyntä on kasvanut sekä kuluttaja- että yritysmarkkinoille, mutta yrittäjät panttasivat hankintojaan ennen kuin Lumia tuli markkinoille.

– Nokian markkinaosuus laski ehkä voimakkaammin yrityspuolella, kun mitä se olisi muuten laskenut Lumiaa edeltävinä aikoina, kun yritykset odottivat uutta puhelinta.

– Sitten kun Lumiaa sai, yritykset hankkivat sitä.

Panttaaminen koskee erityisesti pienempiä yrityksiä. Suuret yritykset hankkivat matkapuhelimensa oman aikataulunsa mukaan. Myös kuluttajapuolella lykättiin hankintoja Lumian vuoksi, arvelee teleoperaattori TeliaSoneran Suomen kuluttajaliiketoiminnan johtaja Juha Koivuniemi.

– Suomessa on selvästi merkkiuskovaisia ihmisiä, jotka haluavat ostaa mielellään Nokiaa. Kun oli tiedossa, että tulee uusi mallisto, osa asiakkaista siirsi varmasti hankintansa siihen, kun uudet mallit tulevat Nokialta.

"Nokia jatkaa kasvuaan
Suomessa"

Nokian markkinaosuuden sahaaminen kertoo älypuhelinmarkkinoiden kovasta kilpailusta. Vielä viime vuoden heinä–syyskuussa Sony Ericsson ja kiinalaisten ZTE:n ja Huawein yhteenlaskettu markkinaosuus oli 28 prosenttia älypuhelimissa. Kuluvan vuoden ensimmäisellä neljänneksellä pienempien valmistajien osuus oli laskenut kymmeneen prosenttiin.

Samalla kolme suurinta ovat vahvistaneet asemiaan. Alkuvuonna Nokia, Samsung ja Apple jakoivat 90 prosenttia Suomen älypuhelinmarkkinoista.

– Kyllä se on ihan aito ilmiö, että Nokian markkinaosuus on jonkin verran noussut aallonpohjasta, mutta kaukana ollaan huippuvuosista, Elisan Henri Korpi sanoo.

Yrityspuolella Suomi luottaa edelleen Nokiaan, mutta kuluttajapuolella kilpailu on kiristynyt.

– Olemme tyytyväisiä, että olemme saaneet kilpailua. Kuluttajalla on paremmat mahdollisuudet valikoida, ja meistä on kiva esittää erilaisia vaihtoehtoja kuluttajille.

Vaihtoehdot ovat rajoittumassa kolmeen. Soneran Juha Koivuniemi sanoo, että Nokia, Samsung ja Apple ovat olleet selvästi myydyimmät merkit viime kuukausina. Trendi tulee jatkumaan, Koivuniemi arvioi.

Hänen mukaansa Suomen matkapuhelinmarkkinoilla on nähty myös yleinen käännös älypuhelinten suuntaan.

– Yhä isompi osa ihmisistä ostaa älypuhelimia.

Teleoperaattori DNA:n Kauppa-liiketoiminnan toimitusjohtajaSami Aavikko uskoo, että trendi ei ole kääntynyt pelkästään kolmen suuren hyväksi, vaan Nokia tulee valtamaan älypuhelinmarkkinoita Samsungilta ja Applelta.

– Lumiassa on jo neljä eri versiota myynnissä, kappalemääräinen myynti nousee.

Lumia 900 is selling well in Finland

Lumia 900:n myynti alkoi: "Näyttää erittäin lupaavalta"

Nokian uuden älypuhelimen Lumia 900 -myynti alkoi eilen. Kauppa sujui iltapäivällä sutjakkaasti, ja laitteen tulevaisuus näyttää lupaavalta, DNA Kaupan toimitusjohtaja Sami Aavikko sanoo. Kilpailu kiristyy ensi viikolla, kun Samsung lanseeraa Galaxy S3 -älypuhelimensa Suomessa.

Kaupankäynti matkapuhelinvalmistaja Nokian uusimalla älypuhelinmallilla alkoi eilen. Windows Phone -käyttöjärjestelmällä varustettu Lumia 900 on Nokian uusin vastaus kalliissa älypuhelimissa käytyyn kilpailuun.

– Hetki sitten katsoin tämän päivän Lumian myyntilukuja, ja se on täysin ylivoimaisesti ostetuin laite tälle päivälle, teleoperaattori DNA:n tytäryhtiön DNA Kaupan toimitusjohtaja Sami Aavikko kertoi eilen iltapäivällä Taloussanomille.

09:05OSAKE

Elisa

-1,05 %

16,00

-0,17

Nokia

+2,06 %

2,18

+0,04

Markkinatutkimusyhtiö IDC:n tuoreiden lukujen mukaan Nokia onkin onnistunut kasvattamaan markkinaosuuttaan Suomen älypuhelinmarkkinoista viimeisen puolen vuoden aikana.

Aavikon mukaan suomalaisyhtiön uutta älypuhelinta tilattiin ennakkoon runsaasti. Samaa sanovat DNA:n kilpailijoiden Elisan ja TeliaSoneran edustajat.

– Ennakkotilauksia oli hyvin. Puhelimelle on selvästi kysyntää. Uskomme, että Lumialla on hyvä startti, liittymäliiketoimintajohtaja Henri KorpiElisasta sanoi.

TeliaSoneran kuluttajaliiketoiminnan johtaja Juha Koivuniemen mukaan Lumia 900 -kauppa on lähtenyt hyvin käyntiin, mutta uusi malli ei vedä samalla tavalla kuin ensimmäisen aallon Lumia-lanseeraus.

– Se oli tietysti ainutlaatuinen tapaus.

Kilpailu kiristyy
ensi viikolla

Loppukevät on hyvä aika tuoda uusi puhelin markkinoille.

– Koululaiset päättävät koulunsa ja saavat usein puhelimia tai rahaa lahjaksi. Rahat käytetään usein puhelinten ostoon. Nämä ovat puhelinkauppiaille tärkeitä viikkoja, Elisan Henri Korpi sanoi.

Samaan saumaan iskee myös Nokian kilpailija Samsung. Eteläkorealainen laitevalmistaja tuo uuden Galaxy S3 -älypuhelimensa Suomen markkinoille ensi viikolla.

– Kilpailu on kovaa, Suomen markkinoilla on mielenkiintoinen tilanne, Korpi sanoo.

Ennakkotilauksissa Lumia 900 ja Galaxy S3 kulkivat rinta rinnan. DNA:n Aavikon mukaan kilpailu tulee kiristymään.

Toisaalta sekä Nokialla että Samsungilla on merkkiuskollisia asiakkaita, ja älypuhelimia pyörittävät eri käyttöjärjestelmät. Nokia luottaa Windows Phoneen ja Samsung Androidiin.

Lumia 900:n alku on ollut lupaava, mutta miltä näyttää laitteen tulevaisuus?

– Se jää aina nähtäväksi. Alku näyttää erittäin lupaavalta ja odotuksenmukaiselta, Aavikko sanoo.

Eilen alkoi kauppa myös Nokian Lumia 610 -älypuhelimella. Myynti on sujunut vauhdikkaasti, Aavikko sanoo.

New test find Nokia Lumia 900 and Windows Phone best for the beach

We have already had professional tests prove the Nokia Lumia 900’s screen is the best for bright light, and now Pocket-lint’s more informal test has confirmed the finding.

Pocket-lint tested the Samsung Galaxy 2, Samsung Galaxy 3, iPhone 4S, HTC One X and Sony Xperia S in the very rare bright London sunshine, and found the Nokia Lumia 900 performed best from all the handsets tested, and the Samsung Galaxy 2 and 3 both fared pretty badly.

They concluded:

Surprisingly the best experience was to be had with the Nokia Lumia 900 on account of the simple to see interface.

So a win both for Nokia’s ClearBlack Display and for Windows Phone!

Readers Digest Survey finds Nokia still the most trusted mobile phone brand in Europe

A Readers Digest Survey of 27,467 found, despite Nokia’s falling sales in Europe, they were still the most trusted brand in the continent, toping the scale in 14 out of 15 countries, with France (who loves Bada) the lone holdout, trusting Samsung more instead.

Buyers who trusted the brand would recommend others also purchase it. In Finland up to 82% of buyers would recommend Nokia, likely explaining the Lumia’s success very well there.

It is of note however that while at present around 40% of Europeans would recommend Nokia, this was down from 80% 6 years ago, and slipped 8% only last year.

Spokesman Peter Bontje of Reader’s Digest  said: "You see that in very trendy markets like this change in the telecom brand preferences happen more quickly. A shampoo brand preference remain the same people for years but with cell phones you see that people are much easier to switch. "

He added: "The rise of Apple, which tempts people through one device and then all matching devices, it had certainly not be underestimated. This market is very sensitive. "

The finding from the large scale survey shows however that there is still significant hope for Nokia, if they can produce a product their fans can stand behind and recommend without reservation, something which will hopefully increasingly be possible with Windows Phone.

IDC:Windows Phone makes strong gains in Europe, grew 156% YoY

Q1 2011	Q1 2012	Q1 2012
Android		15.5 million	55%
iPhone	21%	7 million	25%
Symbian		1.4 million	5%
RIM	17%	2.5 million	9%
Windows Phone	2.2%	1.14 million	4.1%
Other		0.66 million	2.4%
Total		28.2 million

IDC Europe has released some figures for Q1 2012 for their region, which reveals that, despite previous ideas that the OS is struggling there, it is in fact growing strongly.

Francisco Jeronimo, research manager for European mobile devices at IDC, said that Windows Phone shipments for the first quarter of 2012 were up 156 percent, year-on-year. In total, Windows Phone market share grew to 4.1 percent (1.14 million units), up from 2.2 percent, according to figures from IDC’s first-quarter 2012 mobile phone shipment and market share report, released on Friday.

The volumes are not yet enough however to rescue Nokia.

"The Nokia Lumia range has performed interestingly but it still below expectations," Jeronimo said. "Nokia’s new Windows phones to be launched this year will continue to contribute to steady growth for the OS."

He added that Windows Phone would continue to make gains throughout 2012 and that "the new Windows Phone 8 handsets to be launched by manufacturers are drawing attention from operators in Europe".

O2 Germany claims to have a 32 GB Nokia Lumia 900: Update – confirmed

O2 Germany is offering the Nokia Lumia 900 in white for pre-order.

This is not your run of the mill Nokia Lumia 900 however. Besides being in glossy white., the smartphone is also uniquely offering 32 GB of storage. The handset is limited to 16 GB elsewhere.

O2 Germany is also offering a 32 GB HTC One X, whereas USA is being offered the 16 GB version, making it possible the company has indeed decided to offer increased storage.

We are reaching out to Nokia to find out more, but in the mean time salivate over the spec bump at O2 Germany here.

Update: We called O2 Germany customer service, and they confirmed the specs.  Time to pop the champagne cork 

BBC iPlayer coming to Windows Phone in “next few weeks”

At the launch of the Nokia Lumia 610 in UK a Nokia spokesman told the Inquirer that the BBC IPlayer will be coming to Windows Phone very soon.

"BBC Iplayer is expected to arrive on Windows Phone within the next few weeks, a sign that the Windows Phone Marketplace is attracting more developers" he said.

He also confirmed that a Sky Go app was also on the way, but was still "a good few months" out.  He did however not have any announcements about other steaming TV services such as 4OD, ITV Player and 5 on Demand.

In March the head of iPlayer at BBC, David Price, confirmed to DigitalSpy that the company was working with Microsoft to ensure Windows Phone 7 users will have access to the catch-up TV service at some point.

Leila Martine, director of Windows Phone was also at the London event, and told attendees that the Windows Phone app Marketplace is growing at a faster pace than the app stores for Android and IOS. It’s presently home to 85,000 applications.

Nokia Lumia 900 to be exclusive to Orange in Poland

If you were planning to buy a Nokia Lumia 900 from a carrier that is not Orange in Poland in the next few weeks you will need to cool your heels.

Orange Poland has announced that the Nokia Lumia 900 will be exclusive to their network for “several weeks after launch”, through the company did not reveal the exact launch date.

Pay as you Go Nokia Lumia 610 only € 169,99 on Vodafone Netherlands

The biggest complaint we have seen about the Nokia Lumia 610 is not the 256 MB RAM, but the price, with some locations charging as much as € 249.99, often more than the more capable Nokia Lumia 710.

It seems, as I have long suspected, that Nokia launches devices at high prices merely to create an impression of value, just to rapidly drop the cost of the handset soon after.

Vodafone Netherlands is offering the Nokia Lumia 610 for only € 169.99 on Pay as You Go, a much more reasonable cost for the low-end Windows Phone, which sets it up against luminaries such as the Samsung Galaxy Gio White which runs Android 2.2 with a 800 Mhz processor and 3.2 inch screen for € 119.99 Euro, or on the “high end” the half-VGA HTC Wildfire S White, also with a 3.2 inch screen and the very modern Android 2.3.3.

The page gives a very good idea of what Nokia is aiming at with the Nokia Lumia 610, which we tend to compare with other mid-range Windows Phones, while, with the right promotion, it could very well be king of the low-end.

Nokia Lumia 800 takes 5th position in Netcom Norway’s April sale charts

Netcom has finally released their smartphone sales charts for April 2012. Netcom is Norway’s second biggest carrier, and last month revealed Windows Phone has 7% market share in March 2012.

This month the Nokia Lumia 800 slipped to the 5th spot, after the arrival of the HTC One X in the 4th position.  Windows Phone dropped from 7 to 6%, but we suspect the arrival of two new handsets, mostly unfortunately in June, should reverse this trend.

Nokia Lumia 900 back on top on Amazon after price drop

We have enjoyed having the Nokia Lumia 900 top the Amazon best seller for a few weeks, but unfortunately with the arrival of new high-spec Android handsets this did not last.

It seems however the only thing needed to rejigger the charts was a price drop for the Nokia Lumia 900.

The handset is now only $39.99 on contract, versus $119 for the HTC One X, the nearest competitor.

Of course it’s not all about the price – there were plenty of cheaper Windows Phones around, but having one the general public is actually happy buying is a great new development, even if the low asking price is part of the attraction.

Behind Nokia's SmartStart support program for Windows Phone

By now Nokia’s commitment to the Windows Phone OS should be well established. What has made their role so vital to Microsoft is not just the hardware they’ve created (4 phones in 12 months) but the support they’re providing to the platform from all directions.

Whether it’s original OEM apps, exclusive titles, developer support tools, mapping data, dispersing thousands of free Lumias to devs or their promotions, Nokia has gone beyond their competitors in many ways.

One of those is one that may not be too familiar with Windows Phone Central readers but is just as impressive: Nokia’s SmartStart program.

What’s SmartStart? We get a behind the scenes glimpse of Nokia’s growing support system for new Lumia owners and share what’s coming next…

Nokia Lumia 900 shakes its booty in Flo Rida's newest video

Flo Rida is no stranger to Nokia Windows Phones. Back in February in the video for 'Wild Ones' the popular artist was seen using the Lumia 710 and Twitter. Though it was just in passing, it was a nice nod for Nokia's newest phone.

In Mr. Rida's new video (can we call him that?) for 'Whistle' the shiny and sexy glossy-white Lumia 900 is the star. While the 900 actually doesn't shake its booty (creative license, sorry), it does get some screen time.

Skydiving enthusiast takes the Nokia Lumia 800 up Mt. Everest

Skydiving and Windows Phone enthusiast Minesh Mandalia has taken his Lumia 800with him up Mount Everest. Why not? We've previously seen UK scientists launch the handset up into almost-space attached to a balloon, so it makes sense that such a sturdy companion is also taken up the side of a fairly tall mountain. Mandalia is currently studying BSc Computer Science & Management Studies at the University of Nottingham, and wanted a challenge.

"I’m at university and needed a break, so I thought out of all places why not try the Everest Base Camp, I wanted a challenge."

Unsure as to what he'll need to take on his journey to Everest Base Camp, Mandalia decided to take his trusty Lumia 800 in favour of a laptop among other devices.

"I was first considering taking a laptop to browse the internet, update my Twitter and Facebook, and back up my photos and videos but then realised I could take my phone and have all those features put into one small device. It was the perfect size to keep in my pocket so that I can quickly take it out and snap a photo or check the altitude. The best bit was I didn’t even have to take my gloves off when using the camera – I got some great photos."

"My phone handled the trip really well, despite being exposed to freezing temperatures (up to – 20c!). It even worked perfectly when my fingers couldn’t. It even managed to survive everything from getting bashed with trekking poles and hitting walls as you make way for the Yaks and Sherpas. Even in the bright sunlight reflecting off all the snow topped mountains and glaciers, I could still read my texts and messages on the screen."

If anyone has doubts about the construction and strength of the Lumia 800, the above quote is certainly set to put those concerns to rest. It's a superb achievement for Mandalia, as well as Nokia and Microsoft. What apps did Mandalia use on his journey? GPS Satellite, Flashlight 7, Evernote, SkyDrive and Baconit.

Nokia touts Smarter Apps, smokes Blackberry

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=gX3Bkv-Xcgc

Nokia has really taken the Smoked by Windows Phone challenge to heart (and also to the streets).  In this latest instalment of their web series they demonstrate how pinnable pages of apps, a unique Windows Phone feature, means needing only two taps to check in to FourSquare, making it much faster than even a keyboard-equipped Blackberry.

Nokia is calling it Smarter Apps, and they have a list right here.

Nokia Lumia 610 coming to Sweden in 2 days, Netherlands next week

Nokia has been rolling out their low-end Windows Phone around Europe, with the latest two countries to get launch dates being Sweden and the Netherlands.

In Sweden the handset will hit stores on the 24th where it will retail for around 2000 kr and will be available in Black, Cyan, Magenta and White.

In the Netherlands the handset is expected to hit stores next week, and will be retailing for 249 Euro, with the same colour selection.

Covering all price segments is important for Nokia, who traditionally found its biggest volume on the low-end, and will hopefully provide a significant boost to their numbers sold.

Consumer Reports recommends the Nokia Lumia 900 for Dads and Grads

The most respected consumer organization in USA, Consumer Reports.org, has just recommended the Nokia Lumia 900 as the best phone to get for Dads and Grads ie. for fathers day gifts or graduation presents for students, both hot events in June in USA.

Consumer Reports called the Nokia Lumia 900 the best Windows Phone yet, and we are certain, especially if this is a first smartphone, that both Dads and Grads will be very satisfied.

See the rest of the list at Consumer Reports here.

Windows Phone Outselling the iPhone in China After Merely Two Months

Microsoft and its OEM partners (especially Nokia, but not only) knew that China is a market to aim for, not just because of the fact that it is now the world’s largest mobile market, but because of the specifics of the country. Windows Phone was launched in China on March 21 this year and it is already, according to reports, outselling Apple and its iPhone.


Source: Emerce
Via: Engadget