With Lumia 930, does Nokia finally have a flagship device to take on Apple, Samsung?

Nokia has announced a new flagship device at the Microsoft BUILD conference: The Lumia 930. The device has a 5-inch screen with full HD, a 2.2 Ghz quad-core processor, 2GB RAM, 16 GB storage space and a 20 megapixel camera.   The devices runs the Windows Phone 8.1 OS, which was also released at the BUILD conference.   So with the Nokia Lumia 930, does the company finally have a flagship that can stand up to other premium devices like the iPhone or the Samsung Galaxy S series to name a few? We take a quick look.   The Screen Size: As far as smartphone screens are concerned, Lumia’s flagship devices were far behind the crowd both in terms of size and the screen resolution. While the Lumia 1520 phablet was launched, it should be noted that in the smartphone category, Lumia 925 and Lumia’s 1020 had 4.5-inch screens, when competitors like Samsung with Galaxy S4 and Sony’s Xperia Z1 had 5-inch screens.  In addition to this competitors were also launched with full HD screens, while Microsoft hadn’t released support for the 1080 p screen resolution.   Again the Lumia 1520 phablet was the first Nokia Lumia device with the full HD screen. As far as other flagships were concerned, the HD screen resolution was a massive let down when competitors had better screens to offer.   This has been fixed with the Lumia 930.   Processor: Again thanks to lack of support from Windows Phone 8, Nokia’s flagships were still on dual-core processors, this when the S4 came in an octa-core (eight-core) version as well. For many customers, buying a premium flagship device that was on dual-core processor doesn’t seem like such a great option, when so many rival devices were touting their quad core and octa core devices.   Of course, Apple’s A7 processor is still is a dual-core device, but Apple has built a cult image around itself and for hardcore Apple fans, specs are often irrelevant. Nokia unfortunately, does not enjoy the same level of unwavering loyalty where Windows Phone smartphones are are concerned.   Even when pitted against the Android army, the Nokia devices seemed outdated, given the number of flagship Androids with quad-core processors.   With the Lumia 930, users will get a Snapdragon 2.2 GHz quad-core processor, 2GB RAM and 32 GB storage space. For those who are bored of Android and the iOS universe, the Lumia 930 might just seem appealing thanks to the better specs.   Camera: There’s no overlooking the fact that when it comes to camera specifications, Nokia has kept the flag flying high. The Lumia 930 has a 20 megapixel camera with Optical image stabilization  and a Carl Zeiss lens.  It has more megapixels than the S5, the iPhone 5s and is a little shy of the latest Xperia Z2.   According to Nokia, the new flagship has some great features for video recording and comes with four microphones. Nokia says this allows directional recording, which enhances the clarity of sound.   Compared to the Lumia 1020 which a 41 megapixel camera, the Lumia 930 doesn’t have the best camera that Nokia has to offer. But it’s still good enough to hold its own against the competition.   Battery:  Lumia 930 has a 2420 mAh battery with built-in wireless charging. The maximum talktime Nokia is promising on 2G is 11.5 hours, with 15.5 hours on 3G. For users who are constantly running out of battery, the Lumia 930 might seem like a great option.   Conclusion: The Lumia 930 managed to tick off the all right boxes of what a premium smartphone should have. A strong processor, a bigger and sharper screen, along with a 20 megapixel camera. Of course the success will also depend on the pricing (at least in India) and the response that Windows Phone 8.1 gets from app developers.