Nokia Lumia 920 and Lumia 820 won't save Nokia, says analyst - Know Your Mobile (blog)

Nokia's next-generation Windows Phone 8 devices are finally here, and initial reviews have been positive across the board. Yet despite this many industry experts predict yet another dire year for Espoo's finest. 

Microsoft has introduced a myriad of improvements inside Windows Phone 8, bringing the platform well inline with Android and iOS, in a bid to secure third place behind iOS and Android. 

Nokia has been busy also, cramming its latest handsets with market-leading hardware, software, and services – yet it's still not enough to guarantee success, according to some. 

Nokia Lumia 820 + Video 

Nokia Lumia 920 Review + Video 

In a note to investors, Canaccord Genuity analyst T. Michael Walkely said: 

'We believe visibility for its [Nokia's] smart devices division remains challenging, as the impressive new Lumia 920 and 820 smartphones launch into a very competitive smartphone market with limited proven demand for Windows smartphones.'

Walkely conceded that the inclusion of a PureView camera inside the Lumia 920 was a masterstroke by Nokia, one that would help it differentiate its Lumia proposition from Apple's iPhone 5 and the Samsung Galaxy S3, as well as inside the Windows Phone 8 ecosystem. 

Looking at the note, it seems that Walkely is still rather hung up on the fact that Windows Phone 8 has yet to gain much traction in the mobile space. It's a valid point – but it is also one that could change drastically in the coming months and year. 

'While we are impressed with the new Lumia WP8 smartphones, we maintain our modest Lumia sales estimates due to our belief 2013 remains another challenging transitional year,' added Walkely. 

Like Walkely we've been absolutely blown away by Nokia's new Windows Phone 8-powered Lumia range, which have everything a modern user could want: apps, services, power, design flare, imaging, and processing power. 

In the end though it doesn't matter how good a device is – consumers have to actually go out and buy one. 

This will be the true test for Nokia, as well as Microsoft's Windows Phone 8 platform.