After endless rumours, much teasing, and what was beginning to seem like an endless wait, Nokia finally announced its new thin and light Windows Phone this morning at an event in London. The Lumia 925 is closely related to the Lumia 920, but is considerably thinner, a good deal lighter, and eschews the familiar polycarbonate-based design that debuted with the MeeGo-powered Nokia N9, in favour of a slightly different design featuring an aluminium rim that the company says incorporates a "fabulous antenna."
I didn"t have a chance to put that antenna to the test today, but I did have the opportunity to get my paws on the new handset - and my first impressions of the device were pretty favourable.
Having used the Lumia 920 as my primary device since its launch late last year, the difference in both weight and profile between it and the 925 is staggering. While the 920 has attracted widespread criticism for its less than sleek dimensions - even Vodafone"s representative at today"s Nokia launch took the opportunity to criticize its weight - the 925 draws no such criticisms.
It"s heavier than an iPhone 5, but it"s not a big deal since the 925 now feels like its weight and dimensions are on par with other handsets in its class. More importantly, it feels like a premium device.
Three colour options are available: white, silver, and black. Whichever colour is chosen, the handset feels wonderful in the hand, with the ring of aluminium running around its edges, and matte, soft-touch plastic on the back.
Colours burst from the 4.5" OLED with a vibrancy that"s missing from the IPS LCD of the Lumia 920. New "Lumia Colour Profile" settings have been introduced that easily adjust the warmth and depth of colours on the display, for those that aren"t so enamoured with the saturated colours associated with OLED screens.
The 925 doesn"t include integrated wireless charging, unlike its closest siblings, but this feature can be introduced to the handset through optional wireless charging shells that attach and detach relatively easily to the back of the device.
These covers also bring some of the vibrant colours that the Lumia range has become famous for. The monochromatic colour range of the handsets themselves may seem rather sober compared with its brighter Lumia brethren, yet Nokia has achieved an undeniably classy look, between the white, silver and black options, and the stark contrast of the bright and vivacious colours on the handset"s display.
I"ll be reviewing the Lumia 925 soon, but for now, it"s left a very positive first impression with me. I can"t help but feel, though, that this is the device that Nokia should have released as the Lumia 920.