2012 looks to be an exciting year for Windows Phone 7. New handsets from HTC, Samsung, and Nokia promise to challenge the dominant Android and iPhone smartphones. Later in the year, we can look forward to the release of Windows Phone 8, Skype, and other new updates to the platform. Here are some of the Windows 7 phones you can look forward to this year:
Nokia Lumia 900
Unveiled at CES 2012 in January, the Nokia Lumia 900 is the successor to Nokia’s popular Lumia 800. It looks very similar to the 800 but larger. Its curved polycarbonate body might appear to be hefty but it only weighs 5.6 ounces. It has similar technical specifications, too, with the same 1.4GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, 512MB of RAM, and will come with Windows Phone 7.5. Nokia have made a few changes, though, and the biggest difference is the bright 4.3″ AMOLED screen, which is a vast improvement on the 800′s 3.7″. Nokia have added a front facing 1.3 megapixel camera for video calls, and the excellent 9 megapixel sensor with Carl Zeiss lens should produce some great pictures. It comes out in the US in March, exclusively on the AT & T network. Pricing has yet to be revealed. We think you’ll love the fantastic new screen and camera.
LG Miracle
It is said to have a bright 4-inch WVGA NOVA display, which should produce crisp colours, a speedy 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon CPU, 8GB of storage, a 5-megapixel rear camera that can shoot 720p video and a VGA front-facing webcam. It’s rumoured to boast 14.4Mbps HSPA connectivity, 5.0GHz-capable 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0 and NFC too – which is strange since NFC isn’t supported by the platform yet (the next update is said to include this). It will launch in Europe this spring. You’ll love the low price and WVGA NOVA screen. NFC connectivity is a nice touch, too.
HTC Radiant
HTC plan to launch another Windows 7 Phone to sit alongside the HTC Titan. It looks very similar to the Titan but the top of the phone has larger HTC branding and what appears to be bigger front facing camera lens. On the right side, the buttons are slightly shifted towards the bottom of the phone, especially in the case of the volume rockers.
The back side is where the big changes are. The dual-LED flash has been moved to the right side of the camera (and the speakers to the left). The unibody build has been also slightly changed: there’s a curve to the aluminum above the camera and it has a non-removable battery.
The phone will ship with a 1.5GHz CPU, 512MB of RAM and 4.7″ WVGA screen. It is rumoured to be exclusive to AT & T in the US and will launch sometime in summer. There is no word on pricing yet. You’ll love the powerful processor, which will let you work on the move.
Samsung Mendel
Launching in the first half of the year, the Mendel is one of three new 4G phones expected to hit AT&T, the others being HTC’s Radiant and Nokia’s Lumia 900. The Mendel is rumoured to have a larger screen than the 4.3 inches found on its sister, the Focus S. It will also sport LTE capability for faster browsing on the move. Spec-wise, expect an improvement on the 1.4GHz Snapdragon and a boost in memory. Windows 7.5 will come as standard. Pricing has yet to be announced. You’ll enjoy the quick connectivity on the Mendel and will love updating Facebook on the go.
