Just in time for Christmas, the first 1080p Windows Phone will arrive in Australia. Nokia’s Lumia 1520 is the first to feature a massive 6” display. Harvey Norman managed to snare an exclusive and will have it on shelves from 11 December. The RRP of the Lumia 1520 is A$899 and currently includes a free $20 app voucher for the Windows Phone Store.
Other notable features include a 20MP PureView camera with optical image stabilisation, along with the new Nokia Camera and Nokia Storyteller applications. So why is a bigger phone important? Often manufacturers struggle to explain the real world use cases, however it’s a very clear visual difference when it comes to Windows Phone. There’s a third column of home screen tiles so you can see and do more to take full advantage of the Lumia 1520’s larger screen. This means with the smallest tile sizes, you can fit 6 tiles across compared to just 4 with a 720 display.
Nokia Australia’s managing director, Steve Lewis, said: “There’s a growing demand for mobile devices that have the power, speed, and screen size to handle the demands of busy life and enable people to be more productive.
“As capturing and sharing images and video become more instinctive ways to communicate and express yourself, we believe the additional screen size and next level imaging technology of devices like the Lumia 1520 will give people a compelling reason to switch.”
Unlike the 1020 we just reviewed, the Nokia Lumia 1520 thankfully does includes built-in wireless charging. With the 920 and 1520 both supporting wireless, the 1020 does look like the red headed step child. Reports are that the 1520 is light (for its size), so that wireless charging can’t weigh too much.
Geoff Van Der Vegt, General Manager – Technology & Entertainment at Harvey Norman said: “We’re excited to be the exclusive launch partner for Nokia’s first large screen smartphone at our stores and online. We’ve seen a wave of innovation in this new segment of the smartphone market – driven by consumers’ desire to get more from their mobile device.
“Imaging is also a key selling point for our customers – with the arrival of Instagram and Nokia Lumia’s track record in this space we’re confident this will be a stand-out product in our smartphone offering.”
Nokia managed to squeeze in a large 3400maH battery, so despite the big screen, your battery is likely to get you through the day. For a size comparison, check out this photo from Mobile Fanatics. That’s the Nokia Lumia 925, the 920 and the 1520 monster.
Tech specs
Operating system
Windows Phone 8 with the latest updates
Cellular
LTE, 3G bands, Category 4
HERE location and mapping services
HERE location and mapping services: Free global HERE Maps and HERE Drive + Free HERE Transit available in the Store
Display
6” full HD 1080p LCD. Great outdoor visibility with, ClearBlack technology, High Brightness Mode, Sunlight readability, Super sensitive touch for glove and nail usage protected with Gorilla glass 2
Battery
3400 mAh with integrated wireless charging (Qi compatible)
Processor
2.2GHz Quad Core Snapdragon 800
Main camera
PureView 20 MP Auto Focus ZEISS optics with Optical Image Stabilisation (OIS), 2x lossless zoom, dual LED flash, 1080p @ 30 fps video with optical image stabilisation.
Front facing camera
1.2 Skype HD 720p video
Audio
Rich Recording with four microphones, Wideband Voice and multi-microphone noise reduction with four microphones, Dolby(R) Headphone, Graphic equaliser, Audio leveling, FM radio
Memory
2GB RAM, 32 GB internal user memory; 7 GB SkyDrive cloud storage, micro SD card support up to 64GB
Price and availability
Harvey Norman is the exclusive launch partner and will have the Lumia 1520 in black, white and yellow. It will be available instore from the 11 December 2013, with pre-orders available instore or online from 26th November 2013.
There will also be protective covers available in black and yellow for A$34.95, I guess you miss out if you choose a white phone.
