Nokia Preparing to Announce 'Arrow' and 'Phi' WP8 Devices

News
By Jane McEntegart
published

A little more information on what we can expect from Nokia event taking place in less than two weeks' time.

Microsoft and Nokia recently scheduled a joint event for the first week in September. Considering the two have a healthy smartphone partnership and Windows 8 is due out this fall, it doesn't take a genius to figure out what the event is going to be about. Add to that previous rumors that said Nokia would announce its first Windows Phone 8 devices in early September and it's sort of a no-brainer. However, while we know that the event is going to be Windows 8-themed, up until today, we had no idea what to expect in terms of actual devices.

The Verge today cites sources familiar with the two companies' plans that say Nokia is working on two brand new handsets in preparation for the event. These devices, codenamed 'Arrow' and 'Phi,' are said to be a part of Nokia's Lumia range. The Phi is said to be a successor the Lumia 800 and Lumia 900, while the Arrow is a mid-range handset.

According to The Verge's sources, the Phi will be exclusive to AT&T, at least in the beginning, and the Arrow will be available on both AT&T and T-Mobile (an almost identical version is planned for T-Mobile under a different codename). No word on specs just yet but Microsoft gave us a sneak peek at Windows Phone 8, AKA Apollo, back in June. The latest iteration of Windows Phone will share a kernel, file system, media foundation, device drivers, and parts of the security model of Windows 8. Packing support for multi-core processors, displays up to 1280x768, and external SD storage, Windows Phone 8 will bring Internet Explorer 10 to Windows Phone devices as well as in-app purchases, Nokia Maps, and improved enterprise features (including device management for administrators, Office apps, support for BitLocker encryption, and secure boot mode). It won't be compatible with Windows Phone 7 devices.

Tune on September 5 for the full scoop!

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Jane McEntegart
27 Comments Comment from the forums
  • internetlad
    Still no love for Verizon eh?
    Reply
  • Given that this is LESS THAN SIX MONTHS after the Lumia series hit the market, and that those devices *won't* support WP8, they should start off the presentation with a slide that reads, "EARLY ADOPTERS? FUCK YOU!"
    Reply
  • booyaah
    More like Verizon hates MS, or they have been in the back pocket of Google for a while.

    Take your pick.
    Reply
  • Marcus52
    Microsoft/Nokia are stabbing themselves in the feet by not having a Verizon phone.

    Also, gone are the days when non-contract service was a sign you were some kind of low-life (if that was ever true); unlocked phones should be provided by all manufacturers.

    They need a screaming top-end phone, not just a "very good" one; if you aren't up there with the Galaxy S III, you are shooting for second place, at best.

    ;)
    Reply
  • carnage9270
    Microsoft and AT&T have a partnership, so the other providers get screwed for a while. How does this partnership come about...Microsoft headquarters and AT&T headquarters are literally a mile apart in Redmond. Pretty stupid on Microsoft's part though. They want market share and sign exclusivity agreements...pro.
    Reply
  • teh_chem
    shmungwhy does t-mobile and verizon get the shit mid range devices the lumia 710 was great but it didn't have enough power and now t-mobile gets shafted again with the stupid arrow i was looking forward to a bigger screen but that one has the same 4 inch 480x800 awfulness that i wanted to avoid t-mobile and verizon are the only companies that work well around where i live att support sucks and sprint just doesnt get service why do they not think that a good phone with a 720p screen would work on these networksProtip: Periods aren't just for menstruating women.

    On topic, I'm sure the handsets will trickle out to other providers. It's interesting to hear people criticizing Nokia for not rolling the phones out to other providers when an equally probable situation could be that the network doesn't want to take the chance on an unproven platform. It's a gamble, but I have high hopes that WP can be a good competitor in the mobile segment.
    Reply
  • alextheblue
    internetladStill no love for Verizon eh?As a current Verizon Wireless customer, I can assure you that is entirely Verizon's fault.

    Edit: To clarify I mean that if Verizon wanted more WP devices, there are multiple companies that would gladly build them one. Nokia is but one. I am hoping that WP8 will change that, eventually, and we'll finally see a decent modern WP device on Verizon. But make no mistake, the lack of WP devices on Verizon is not Microsoft or Nokia's desire.
    Reply
  • eddieroolz
    Cutting off compatibility with Windows Phone 7 was still the stupidest thing they could have done.
    Reply
  • CaedenV
    T-Mobile: I use to be a phone company too... until I took an arrow to the knee...
    Reply
  • CaedenV
    eddieroolzCutting off compatibility with Windows Phone 7 was still the stupidest thing they could have done.why exactly? Most apps will still run on 7.8, the interface from 8 will move to 7.8, and 8 would run like crap, or physically not have the capability to run the new features on the older phones. They were upfront with the fact that there would be no upgrade option very early on (before lumia was released), so people knew what they were getting (or should have known what they were getting). I just don't see how some people find this to be an issue.

    @article
    Can't wait to hear more news, I have been waiting for a windows phone with SD card support for a few years now... it is the one feature I cannot live without, and I am neither mac or android compatible.
    Reply