Nokia plans smartphone launch for May 14
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okia has sent out invitations to a London event that will reveal what’s next for its line of Lumia Windows Phone handsets. Rumors have been circulating since the start of the year that the Finnish phone maker is planning to launch a number of high-profile, premium-quality flagship handsets to bolster its existing range of smartphones in the first half of 2013, and the invitations appear to confirm the buzz. The existing Windows Phone 8 flagship, the Nokia Lumia 920, has become the world’s most popular Windows Phone device since its launch in November last year, and while it is well designed and offers a number of premium features, its lack of a true HD screen and the use of polycarbonates in its shell rather than a metal or alloy has drawn criticism in some quarters. The new flagship device, which Nokia bloggers have been referring to as the Catwalk, is expected to sport an all-aluminium shell and a 4.5-inch full-HD display. Fans of the brand are hoping that the eagerly anticipated ‘Eos,’ a handset that boasts Nokia’s industry-leading 41-megapixel image sensor for professional-level photography, will also be revealed at the event. In the company’s most recent earnings call, Nokia CEO Stephen Elop revealed that he believes Nokia’s future in the smartphone market will be defined by its leading imaging technology and by producing phones with larger, “phablet”-size, screens (as well as smaller handsets) and by ensuring there is a desirable Windows Phone at every price point from entry level to premium product.
Apple focusing on greater in-car integration for future devices and software
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eports claim that Apple is building deeper, more integrated relationships with the world’s leading automakers in order to make its devices integral to the next generation of connected cars. The next version of Apple’s iOS mobile operating system – iOS7 – will be focused on in-vehicle use and will offer a greater level of Siri and Apple Maps integration so that iPhone owners can access hands-free turn-by-turn spoken and visual navigation when driving. Apple has made no secret of its desire to put its devices inside as many cars as possible. At the Worldwide Developers Conference in 2012 it unveiled Siri Eyes Free, a special driving mode for the iPhone, specifically aimed at drivers, that allows them to access a number of iPhone features without touching the device. At the same event, it revealed that a number of the world’s biggest auto makers, including Toyota, Honda and BMW, had signed up to the program and would be installing a dedicated Siri button on their future models’ dashboards. Now, according to “people familiar with the plans”, Apple is stepping up its operations in this regard, and the redesigned operating system, which will make its debut at this year’s Worldwide Developers Conference on June 11, will offer even greater integration. Apple hopes that car makers such as BMW and Mercedes will essentially make the iPhone an integral part of their cars’ consoles – the car’s display becoming a mirror of the phone’s screen. However, though the partnerships and underlying technologies are expected to be announced next month, it could take some time before the average consumer will be able to benefit, due to federal regulations in the US and safety regulations regarding driving and vehicles in other territories.
2013
issue 18
51