Skip to main content

Nokia to take selfies seriously with next Windows Phone, codename Superman

nokia speed battery boost 3g network features lumia 925 top screen

According to the latest rumor, Nokia (well, Microsoft) will make taking selfies the focal point (sorry) of a future Lumia smartphone release. Codename Superman, the Windows Phone device is expected to have a 5-megapixel front camera — well beyond what we’re used to seeing on Nokia’s hardware.

The news comes from an anonymous source speaking to The Verge, who adds that the phone will most likely be a mid-range handset with a 4.7-inch display. It’s not going to be out tomorrow though, and we may have to wait until later this year before it goes on sale. Nokia announced the new Lumia 930, Lumia 635, and Lumia 630 during the Microsoft Build conference earlier this month, so a wait for any new phones normal.

High megapixel selfie cams are nothing new. They’ve been around on phones sold in Asia for some time, but have only recently started to show up on mainstream hardware in the U.S. and Europe. The HTC One M8 already has a 5-megapixel camera above the screen, as does the Huawei Ascend P6 and Ascend G6, the Lenovo Vibe X, and even the Blu Life Pro. Nokia will need to add some pretty special features if it wants to still attract attention from a 5-megapixel camera in six months time.

Talk of the Superman phone was joined by an update on a rumor which had almost been forgotten. Remember the Nokia Goldfinger? We heard a little about it last year, and were intrigued by talk of a gesture control system where you wouldn’t need to touch the screen, just wave your hands about above it. Apparently, the phone is still in development, and has been held back due to support for the feature not being included in the first version of Windows Phone 8.1.

Editors' Recommendations

Andy Boxall
Senior Mobile Writer
Andy is a Senior Writer at Digital Trends, where he concentrates on mobile technology, a subject he has written about for…
iPhones are on the beat in the Big Apple as NYPD begins rollout of new devices
NYPD

The New York City Police Department decided last year to get rid of the 36,000 Windows phones it gave its police force throughout the past two years. The NYPD is now officially rolling out new iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus models to its workforce, reports the New York Daily News.

The rollout originally started in Manhattan before Christmas and will now continue with Brooklyn and Queens. As with the Windows phones, the NYPD can use the iPhones for 911 dispatches, along with accessing real-time video and background checks. They're also able to complete tasks including filling out accident reports and summonses.

Read more
Nokia 8 vs. iPhone 7: Can HMD’s Android flagship beat Apple’s aging iPhone?
Apple iPhone 7 Plus

The Nokia 8 looks like an Android powerhouse on paper. This is easily the best-looking Android phone with the most impressive spec sheet we’ve seen so far with the Nokia name attached, but how does it measure up against one of Apple’s finest? We decided to pit Nokia 8 vs. iPhone 7 to find out.

It’s been a while since we’ve seen a Nokia flagship in the smartphone market. After an ill-fated romance with Microsoft, the Finnish brand briefly disappeared from the mobile market altogether, but now it’s back. Though the name is under license to another company, HMD Global, Nokia still has guidelines in place HMD has to follow.

Read more
Next iPhone could take better shots with automatic scene recognition fueled by AI
Apple iPhone 6S Plus

Scene modes that help users capture better shots without the technical know-how have long been part of the consumer camera. Now, new details suggest a form of automatic scene detection could be coming to the next iPhone. Digging into a HomePod firmware leak, one developer suggests the same artificial intelligence technology that organizes the Camera Roll is stepping up to real-time performance to help the camera choose the best settings. The iOS automatic scene mode or SmartCam was uncovered earlier this week.

According to Apple Insider, the code includes data for recognizing several specific scenes, including babies and pets, as well as sports, fireworks, and specific landscapes such as snow or a sunset. The same report suggests that the new Smart Cam automatic scene modes will recognize the same things that existing iPhones already tag to sort existing photos — the difference being that with real-time identification, the camera could use that data to take better photos in the first place.

Read more