When Nokia unveiled its new 808 PureView handset this week at MWC, there were audible gasps in the audience when it was revealed that its camera has an extraordinary 41MP sensor. Since then, there’s been a lot of discussion about whether or not a phone needs such a capable camera, or whether Nokia’s just hoping to blind consumers with big numbers, or even that the device itself is simply too big and unwieldy in a world of increasingly thin and light smartphones.
Some even seem content to simply dismiss the device without giving it a chance; earlier today, we reported that Olympus mocked the 41MP camera on the 808 as "utter nonsense", despite its spokesperson conceding that the company hasn't properly reviewed the handset or the quality of its photos.
Nokia no doubt feels somewhat vindicated today then, with the news that the 808 PureView won the coveted award for ‘Best New Mobile Handset, Device or Tablet’ at Mobile World Congress 2012. The recipient of the award is judged by a panel of technology analysts and leading journalists; this kind of recognition from its industry peers will no doubt give Nokia a welcome boost as it works to re-establish itself in the market, particularly in the smartphone space.
Jo Harlow, executive vice president for Nokia smart devices, picked up the award on behalf of the company. She told Nokia Conversations: “These are [the] first signals that we are executing against our strategy. That we’re back. That we’re bringing great products to our consumers – and that this is just the beginning. There’s lots more to come.”
Nokia’s chief executive, Stephen Elop, tweeted his congratulations to the company this morning:
As Elop notes, Nokia also won a second award at MWC – that of ‘Best Feature Phone’ for its C3 handset.
The year is young, but so far, it seems to be off to a great start for Nokia.
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