Nokia has announced that its newest flagship Windows Phone handset, the Nokia Lumia Icon, will be exclusively available for Verizon Wireless on Feb. 20 in the United States. Microsoft Stores across the country have started accepting pre-orders of the device.
The $199-smartphone that comes with a two-year contract will replace the Lumia 928 on the Verizon lineup. The Nokia Lumia Icon has a 5-inch OLED screen, an inch smaller than its bulkier Lumia 1520 cousin that a lot of users found to be too large for everyday use. Those who value crisp and sharp displays will praise Nokia for the Icon's full high-definition, 1920 x 1080 resolution screen layered with a ClearBlack Gorilla Glass 3 for some protection.
"Nokia's newest Lumia is built for those who demand more from their phones and don't want to compromise when it comes to how this life companion captures each moment of their daily lives," the manufacturer stated.
Under its metal body that closely mirrors the form of the 928 are innards that borrowed anatomy from the Lumia 1520.
Under the hood is a capable Snapdragon 800 quad-core chip that clocks a speed of 2.2GHz. The processor works in tandem with a 2GB RAM and an Adreno 300450 Mhz GPU. It has an internal storage that can hold as much as 32GB of data and like most of its Windows Phone siblings, the Icon does not have a microSD slot for those who need extra storage space.
Microsoft labels the newest handset as a video star that features a 20MP main camera with Carl Zeiss lens. The manufacturer claims that the handset delivers whether its user will capture still images or video.
"The Lumia Icon can record 1080p video and zoom in with the touch of a finger. The phone's ZEISS lens and optical image stabilization help deliver sharp videos even during close-ups. It also comes with four high performance microphones and Nokia Rich Recording technology, designed to help filter out distracting background noises for crystal clear audio," the company stated.
The Icon runs on Windows Phone 8 Black out of the box plus some bloatware from Verizon.
So far, the reviews about the Nokia Lumia Icon, which comes in either black or white, have been mixed.
"...this is an attractive phone and I am seriously considering adding a Verizon line again to pick one of these up. I love the Lumia 925 design, but the Lumia Icon may top that and I can't wait to get my hands on one," wrote ZDNet's Matthew Miller.
The Verge pointed out a problem on the quality of the phone's chassis.
"The buttons on the sides feel a bit mushy, and the white polycarbonate back on my review unit is already starting to discolor after only 24 hours," David Pierce of The Verge wrote.
Microsoft Contributor at ArsTechnica Peter Bright also praised the Icon.
"I liked the Icon a lot. It ties the 1520 for being the best specced Windows Phone, and for me, the 5-inch screen feels a lot more comfortable, a lot more appropriate, than the enormous display on the 1520. It doesn't advance the state of the art of Windows Phones, but it's not really any worse off either. It's fast and comfortable, and if you're on Verizon, this is the Windows Phone to get," Bright wrote.
The Icon can also be charged wirelessly and this appealed to Hayley Tsukayama of Washington Post. He found the handset solid but not that impressive.
"I didn't get to spend much quality time with the review unit provided by Nokia, but I could easily see the appeal of having wireless charging built in to the handset, just in case you want the option. The charging pad didn't seem to charge things quite as quickly as the normal charger, but it is certainly convenient," he said. "Those are all great features, but they're not quite enough to help this phone rise above the myriad competitors it faces. And it has some drawbacks as well."
Consumers who will pre-order the handset from Microsoft stores March 16 will be able to get a free charging plate. This accessory is valued between $50 and $70.
