Lumia 900: Beautifully Different
It is worth exploring the device itself as well as the current state of Windows Phone in general. The Nokia Lumia 900 has a beautiful, sleek and streamlined design that includes a polycarbonate unibody that is sturdy and durable and is, as AT&T marketed the device, "beautifully different." The screen is 4.3 inches and includes Nokia's ClearBlack technology, which ensures that blacks are truly black, even in the brightest of sunlight. The Lumia 900 offers users 4G LTE connectivity, which delivers speedy web browsing, media streaming and downloading of content. It also includes a quality 8 megapixel camera that includes video capture in 720p resolution.
Windows Phone 7.5 Mango OS
In terms of the operating system, the Lumia 900 comes out of the box sporting Windows Phone 7.5 Mango. It is a refreshing and welcome OS in a sea of Android devices and the iPhone as it is something vastly different and new. The user interface is clean and extremely easy to use. However, there may be a problem in sales of the Nokia Lumia 900 at this point in time as Windows Phone 8 has just been announced.
Lumia Phones Not Upgradeable to Windows Phone 8 OS
Windows Phone 8 is expected to launch in the fall of 2012 and has many Microsoft users excited. However, it has been announced that the current crop of Nokia Lumia phones will not be upgradeable to Windows Phone 8. This is understandably a situation that will frustrate many Lumia 900 owners, especially after AT&T claimed their devices would be upgradeable to the new operating system.
Lumia 900 Only Upgradeable to Windows Phone 7.8
At the very least, the Nokia Lumia 900 and other Windows Phones will receive a small upgrade in the Windows Phone 7.8 operating system. This is expected to offer minor features of Windows Phone 8, according to Nokia C.E.O. Stephen Elop, specifically visual changes that affect the start screen and live tiles. Also, while the Nokia Lumia 900 has been able to stand up against the iPhone 4S and many of the Android phones available on the market, it may be a completely different story once Windows Phone 8 is released. It may very well be WP8 vs iOS 6, which is also expected to be released in the fall, battling it out for the top smartphone OS spot.
Second Only to iPhone 4S
In essence, the Lumia 900 has been a top seller at AT&T Wireless stores and is second only against the iPhone. The phone is available in three colors: black, white and cyan, with the lattermost being in greatest demand. Aside from the issue of the Lumia not being upgradeable to Windows Phone 8, a big drawback of the device is the lack of apps from the Windows Phone Marketplace. This is perhaps what may keep new users from purchasing it or a Windows Phone device in general as there are considerably less apps available than through the App Store or Google Play. At the same time, the number of apps at the Marketplace has nearly doubled in only five months, and most users may be able to find everything they need.
All in all, whether the Lumia 900 can be enough of a player in the smartphone market to keep both Nokia and Microsoft afloat remains to be seen. It seems more likely that the next flagship Nokia Lumia device, which will no doubt include Windows Phone 8, will be the one to decide the fate of both companies.
Author: Vincent Feri is a tech junkie and former Harvard grad. Recently, hehas been working diligently with a software development firm on Gravity Guns android app development.
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