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Lumia - Nokia’s Last Bright Spark

Old Smartphones

If you grew up in the 90s, Nokia was synonymous with mobile telephones. Back then, Nokia wasn’t just a brand; it was an institution. Their phones were everywhere, from playgrounds to office buildings. Known for their legendary durability and long battery life (along with one of the best games ever offered on a phone, Snake), devices like the Nokia 3310 and the Nokia 1100 became cultural icons. Such was the success of Nokia’s models, that even today, the 1100 still reigns on top as the most-sold handset in history. By the early 2000s, Nokia dominated the global mobile phone space, holding nearly 50% of the market share. It was a time when the phrase “Nokia phone” was practically synonymous with “mobile phone.”

However, as the 2000s progressed, the mobile phone industry began to shift dramatically. The launch of Apple’s iPhone in 2007 and the rise of Android smartphones that soon followed redefined what consumers expected from their devices. Touchscreens, app stores, and powerful processors would become the new standard. Nokia, which had thrived with its reliable and straightforward Symbian OS, struggled to keep up. The Symbian OS, once a dominant leader, couldn’t match the advanced capabilities of iOS and Android (even during those early days). 

However, whilst it would appear the company was dropping the ball, it wasn’t for a lack of trying. During this period Nokia was still a dominant player in the mobile phone market and was investing heavily in research and development to stay ahead of the competition. This would culminate in the creation and implementation of their PureView imaging technology.

The development process involved significant innovation in camera sensor technology, optics, and software to handle the large sensor that was used. Nokia’s engineers worked closely with Carl Zeiss to create the advanced lens system that complemented the high-resolution sensor. The concept of pixel oversampling, which played a crucial role in improving image quality, was also a key focus of their research.

The King of Camera Phones

The culmination of this extensive R&D effort was first showcased in the Nokia 808 PureView, which was unveiled at the Mobile World Congress in February 2012. The launch of the 808 PureView marked a significant milestone (although one that wasn’t immediately apparent to the public), demonstrating the fruits of nearly five years of dedicated research and development.

Nokia 808 PureView
808 Pureview, Nokia’s last Symbian-powered phone.

At a time when most smartphones featured cameras with resolutions ranging from 5 to 12 megapixels, the 808’s 41-megapixel sensor was nothing short of revolutionary. This allowed the 808 to capture unprecedented levels of detail, making it possible to zoom in and crop photos without a significant loss of quality.

The Nokia 808 PureView wasn’t just about raw megapixels; it also offered a host of advanced camera features. It had a Xenon flash, which provided better illumination than the LED flashes found on most other smartphones. The camera also supported full HD 1080p video recording with continuous autofocus, enabling users to easily capture high-quality videos. Additionally, the 808 featured a dedicated camera button, making it more convenient to snap photos quickly.

However, despite its groundbreaking camera, the Nokia 808 PureView faced significant challenges. The phone ran on the aforementioned Symbian operating system, which by 2012 was becoming increasingly outdated compared to iOS and Android. Symbian’s limited app ecosystem and user interface made it difficult for the 808 to compete with the more modern and user-friendly platforms. This was a critical drawback, as consumers were looking for not just great hardware but also a robust and versatile software experience. As such, the 808 would officially be the last Nokia model to feature the operating system.

While the Nokia 808 PureView may not have achieved commercial success due to its software limitations, it remains a landmark device in the history of mobile photography. It demonstrated that smartphones could offer camera capabilities that can rival dedicated digital cameras, paving the way for the advanced imaging technologies that are now commonplace in most modern smartphones. 

The 808 was, in many ways, a bridge between Nokia’s past and future. It showcased the company’s ability to innovate and push the boundaries of mobile technology. The camera technology developed for the 808 would later be refined and integrated into Nokia’s Lumia series, particularly in the Lumia 1020, which also featured a 41-megapixel camera and ran on the more modern (and still developing) Windows Phone operating system.

The Microsoft Era

In a move to reclaim its place in the market, Nokia partnered with Microsoft in 2011. This partnership aimed to create a new line of smartphones that would stand out in an increasingly crowded field. Thus, the Lumia series was born. These phones ran on the new Windows Phone operating system, which was seen as a fresh and innovative alternative to iOS and Android (how little did we know).

The Lumia 1020, next to its predecessor the 808

The Lumia 1020 also came with the Nokia Pro Camera app, which allowed users to manually adjust settings like shutter speed, ISO, and focus, giving them more control over their shots. The 4.5-inch AMOLED display provided vibrant colours and deep blacks, enhancing the overall user experience. The device itself could be had in a choice of three colours, vibrant yellow being the standout, along with classic black and white. On a more personal note, back in 2014, I too was enticed to explore what Nokia’s 41-megapixel beast had to offer. For someone who had previously owned and used an iPhone 5, the Lumia was meant to be the photographer’s choice, the kind of experience previously offered by Sony Ericsson with the legendary k800i.

Sony Ericsson K800i
Sony Ericsson’s K800i, generally considered the first proper camera phone.

However, one major flaw became apparent shortly after I started using the 1020: the lack of interest from app developers in the Windows Phone operating system. Despite its innovative design and features, the app ecosystem was severely lacking. Popular apps that were readily available on iOS and Android were either missing or poorly implemented on the Windows platform. This meant that users, including myself, found themselves without the tools and services they had come to rely on.

For instance, major social media apps, productivity tools, and even certain photography apps that would have complemented the Lumia 1020’s stellar camera were either absent or subpar compared to their counterparts on other platforms. The excitement of using a 41-megapixel camera quickly faded when I realised that sharing, editing, and managing photos was a cumbersome process. This soon brought about the realisation that even with the best camera phone in my pocket, my creative expression was hindered and as such, I would only hold onto the phone for about a month, before returning to the trusty iPhone. 

That same year, Microsoft acquired Nokia‘s mobile phone business for $7.2 billion, hoping to turn things around. The Lumia series was rebranded as Microsoft Lumia, and there was a renewed push to make Windows Phone a viable competitor. However, the issues persisted. The app gap remained, and despite Microsoft’s efforts, the Lumia phones continued to struggle. By 2015, Microsoft’s market share in the smartphone industry was minimal, and the company began scaling back its smartphone operations, leading to layoffs and a reduction in new product launches.

By 2016, it was clear that the Windows Phone experiment had failed. Microsoft largely exited the smartphone market, marking the end of the Lumia era. But this wasn’t the end for Nokia phones. HMD Global, a Finnish company, acquired the rights to use the Nokia brand on mobile phones and tablets. This marked the beginning of a new chapter. Unlike the Lumia series, HMD Global chose to adopt the Android operating system for its new Nokia smartphones.

The first Android-based Nokia smartphone, the Nokia 6, was launched in 2017. It received generally positive reviews for its build quality and clean Android experience. HMD Global continued to release a range of smartphones, covering various price segments and re-establishing the Nokia brand in the market. They also tapped into nostalgia by reviving some of Nokia’s classic feature phones, like the new Nokia 3310, appealing to nostalgic consumers and those in emerging markets.

The rebooted Nokia 3310, reinvented for a new generation.

Today, Nokia is making a bit of a comeback with Android-based smartphones, leveraging its legacy of quality and reliability. The story of Nokia’s journey from dominance to decline and its subsequent revival under HMD Global is a testament to the rapidly changing dynamics of the mobile phone industry. While the Lumia series is remembered for its innovative camera technology, it also serves as a case study of the importance of a robust app ecosystem and widespread platform adoption in the smartphone market.