Could this Nokia Atlas be the Lumia 820 variant for Verizon?

Late last week we wrote in length about the ~~unwarranted~~ uproar caused by the AT&T exclusive Nokia announcements. At the centre of the controversy was the notion that there would not be a Nokia Windows Phone 8 device coming to Verizon. [Actually, it was about them not getting the Lumia 920 -Ed.]

We could be seeing the first signs of life from the coming Nokia refresh for Verizon as The Verge reports, via @evkleaks, on this Atlas device.

Very much in line with what we predicted, the Atlas will sport a 4.3” display and takes on a nicely curved design. It’s likely this is either the Arrow device we saw earlier or based closely on it, either way it’s looking pretty handsome. Now we have seen the T Mobile Lumia 810, it's becoming much clearer how these “exclusives” are going to play out with Nokia's marketing switch to provide carriers with differentiation in hardware.

The Verge reports that according to their sources, the Atlas should be arriving in November alongside the HTC Windows Phone 8X. They also add that Verizon should be announcing this in the coming days, which is likely of great relief to those who are struggling with their original Windows Phone devices.

Nokia has already stated that they were going to work with the carriers to produce specialised devices. Here in Europe our carriers don’t usually go in for these exclusives, but in the US the main carriers seem to do business this way. It can be a good way to generate a little more excitement and to make sure if you are marketing a product, those dollars aren’t helping to boost a competitor.

The Atlas, if based on the Lumia 820 spec will be a fine replacement choice for those reaching their contract term on Verizon. What we still don’t know but are highly sceptical about is if there will be a Lumia 920 device made available too. Many would certainly like to see this but as yet we haven’t seen any indication that Verizon are going to get one. That could be due to a stricter AT&T exclusive or simply the case that with the Atlas and the HTC 8X Verizon don’t see the need to stock such a handset.

Based on this new information, are our Verizon readers happy with Windows Phone upgrade choices? Would you leave your network just to secure a desired handset?

Source: @evleaks (Twitter) via The Verge; thanks, everyone, who tipped us!

179 Comments

Makes me a bit happier would like some specs to release on it I wonder did they add gorilla glass to this one? If there's no 922 in the works I'll definitely be getting this device. Can't wait
If there's no OIS camera, no higher res / nicer display, no bigger battery, I won't be buying any new hardware this round. I'll wait it out. I could do with the lower memory, given that it has a micro SD slot, but I want the camera and the display, and want the battery to drive it. Oh - and while I don't know if I'll get the wireless charging (depends on what they cost) I want the option if they are not going to be outrageous.
My contract is up in January.
I certainly won't buy a phone with this res. If there's no 920 variant, and I am as skeptical as the author, I likely won't be upgrading at that time. If there's no hint of a more impressive Nokia for Verizon by then I will consider other options fairly seriously.
A higher resolution and better camera are the two must-haves for me. Truthfully I'm not wholly sold on the 920s size, so I'd love to see an 820 with a better resolution and significantly better camera. Oh, well, can't get everything (for some reason.)
I GET that the Nokia's are great phones,,,but is why is everybody so fast to shoot down the 8X as an option? Its a great phone in its own rights with a nice screen and higher res. SAME snapdragon processor running at 1.5GH dedicated imaging chip for nice lowlight pictures, Beats audio with TWO dedicated amps for lineout and rear speaker.
Seems like a pretty good choice to me.
My 1st choice without seeing the 8x and whatever Nokia lets Verizon have IS the 8x. It's design is much better looking in my opinion and it will fit in my pocket nicely. I'm also liking what I hear about the camea and I'm very interested in the Beats Audio. The 16 gig storage is not a big deal to me since that's what I have in my Andoid phone and I have a lot of pics and music that doesn't seem to take up much space. With LTE acess to my Skydrive, I really don't need more. I think Nokia needs to step it up.
8X vs. 822. I'm shooting for the 8X, if the specs are the same as the 800. Really wanted pureview.....sigh.
Nokia Atlast!! Lol soo funny
Doesn't really hold a candle to the design of the 920 or 820. And I think people were much more upset about the exclusivity of the 920. I hope there will be a variant on other carriers.
yup, I thought a VZ 820 variant was a given (hasn't this been rumored for ages?).. but while the 8X is nice too, that won't cut it for me. I like my Trophy but don't think I'll get a non-Nokia WP anytime soon; their offerings are just so much better than the rest (hardware design + software support), and the 920 just looks so damn nice. if there isn't a variant I'll just hop-over to AT&T; either way with an upgrade to a 4G phone I'm losing my unlimited data plan, so there's really no reason to stick it out with big red..
+1 Exactly the same for me.
Ding...Ding..Ding! We have a winner! You explained exactly what I am thinking in your post. Bravo.
You said all I wanted to say. I will no longer play Verizon game, so I do want a Nokia phone a the 920 is what I want and nothing less and if Verizon is not having it or similar then AT&T is what is going to take, well, here we go AT&T.
For the first time I'm considering the same thing...
You could buy off contract and keep your unlimited. In fact, if you at are getting anything more than the minimum data plan you actually come out ahead.
I did the math recently and couldn't believe how much more a share plan would be for me. I just need to figure out how to afford buying a phone outright. In the long run it is a big savings but coming up with the money in the short term is a bit difficult.
I am actually considering keeping my Trophy for a while if it gets a 7.8 update soon.
This...thanks for saving me the time from writing all of this. Not looking forward to leaving VZW but I'll do what I need to do.
I don't think a 920 variation will be available. It wouldn't make any sense from a marketing point of view to spent that much money and effort in promoting the 920 for the last month and weeks to come and then change the name to something else. The 820 never received such a treatment and in fact the presentation of the 820 was kind of a sidenote. The 920 will be the flagship, there is no room for a 922 or 930 or something like that. Additionally people would tend to think the 922 might be better or newer then the 920. this kind of confusion is tolerable for your budget devices but not your flagship.
+1
The number 910 is still free. However the rounded thing in the picture looks more like a 720 to me.
ok then they can have 918 or 920a that will only confuse people if they dont want to make think 9xx is better than 920 ;p
LOL!
Yeah, but still. Imagine you develop something, a product and then you go and advertise product X. You tell everybody how great it is and what it can do and when the time comes and everybody knows about your product X you start selling it under prduct Y. Think of a car manufacturer like Ford or whatever advertsing their new Focus and then actually calling it Balance. People would go in the store to buy a Focus and the Salesman would tell them that he has no Focus. He has a Balance which for all intent and purpose is the same car. More or less. Just looks a little different.
That would actually work though. Good sales basics says that you offer the closest option you have if the customer knows specifically what they want.
Excited to see how this compares to the 810. This whole carrier exclusivity reminds me of what Samsung did with their first galaxy s phone.
am I the only one to realize a tile for VMs? hmmmm visual VM maybe?
Mango had VVM...
Looks like a 710 on steroids.
I like the look of this phone and the 820 over the squared look of the 920. Most likely the 8X for me though. Will have to wait and see and feel them for myself. As for Verizon, I think they are doing better with WP8. And no I wouldn't switch to get a certain phone, AT&T sucks in Nebraska! GBR! :P
"As for Verizon, I think they are doing better with WP8."

I suppose having two phones instead of one (like with WP7) is better.
Still might get the Samsung but doubt it. And at least they are at least decent phones.
I also live in Nebraska and completely agree with you druger81. If you don't live in Omaha or Lincoln, AT&T is pointless.
If you don't live in Omaha or Lincoln why live in Nebraska?
Country living... I am from just outside Lincoln. I loved it and would love to move back if I did not have to take a 66% paycut.
It's unbelievable that coverage from all carriers doesn't yet blanket the country. That is lame.
But then the commercials would have you believe otherwise.
Uh..there aren't any mountains in Nebraska..
I really want the camera of the 920 on Verizon whether it's on this device or a variant of the 920.
Agreed... I want the camera and the ability to use gloves. Winter is coming. I have been waiting for my sprint contract to expire to move over to Verizon, for signal reasons. So, the sooner Verizon delivers a phone I want after my contract expires, the sooner they'll have me. Until then, my Arrive is working OK, despite how many times I've fumbled it in grand fashion recently.
You can wear gloves and use the 820, err 822 whatever
I didn't think so...but if anyone could clarify this it would really make the 8xx significantly better in most people's eyes.
it is stated on Nokia website.. i guess they blew it again
The Lumia 820 100% has the Super Sensitive Touch display.
i really just want wireless charging and, unless nokia is making changable backplates in many different shapes and sizes, it looks like we're not going to get the option with this phone.
This is just ridiculous what Nokia is doing! 810, 820, 822 what the hell is this crap!!!! I'm sure Nokia & Microsoft could have worked something out to get the 820 & 920 on Verizon, T Mobile, and At&t at the same time. All these different variations of the same phone is crazy. Slightly different here and there is just crazy! Two phones on the three carriers is the way to go. Keep things simple!!!!
What do you care?
Hmmmm... Why does he care that Nokia provides the high end, Hero device and the lesser but still excellent next option to all carriers so that everyone who wants gets all choices?
No idea. It's a mystery to me. How completely unreasonable.
It doesn't hurt anything, dude.
It actually hurts me in one area, accessories. The ranges of accessories will again be limited for all of these where if they had at least one case design then accessories might actually be availabile. Sucks to never have a choice for cases and the like.

I'm still rocking my Titan II with no case at all because I could not find one anywhere that worked for me. No good belt clip either. My S3 on the other hand, has accessories out the wazoo, though still nothing compared to the iPhone lol.
Well, it raises costs and profitability margins for Nokia, with additional design, engineering and manufacturing requirements. Don't think they can pass these exclusive costs down to the carriers. But it's not unusual. WalMart and Club stores have been doing this for decades. Differentiating, and increasing the cost of your products.
US carriers want unique devices to peddle as exclusives, not the same devices shared on all carriers. It is not the same in other countries. The US mobile carrier scenario sucks.
Nokia is really showing just how out of touch with the US they are with this phone release. You're absolutely correct - Nokia's moronic attempt to fragment the market with multiple devices for no ****ing good reason is Nokia doing it's best to keep it's stock low. Why can't these companies understand that the reason Apple gets so much love is because they keep their products simple. It should have been 920 and 820 on every carrier. Instead what we have are tons of varients with minor differences and the major phone everyone wants on the carrier everyone in the US hates. I love the Lumia 900, but I'm seriously questioning the logic of Nokia not releasing the same model for every carrier.
I don't like it at all ...but that is me
That looks like the 510 which was floating around last week.
That looks too big for a 5xx.
Yeah does look bigger. But also it looks to rounded to be like the 820 or 810. The bottom if the phone looks like the 610.
My guess was a 720, but 620 is also plausible if it's a low-spec one.
If i could get the pureview camera and hd+ screen om the 810 , ill be satisfied.
Looks like a Samsung focus.
looks really good atleast better than 810
This looks like the damn Jitter Bug....what are you thinking Verizon?
People here are never satisfied . Daing -.-
Amen
Some of us want a high end device with WXVGA (720/768) and the Pureview camera, doesn't look like an 8xx model will cut it.
Yup.
We have to choose between either our current carrier and a so-so device or a different carrier and a fantastic device.
Not sure why we're expected to be happy with that. Daiiiing. Or something.
Understand, Verizon is Americas head honcho when it comes to cellular. For us to get a crippled version of an already second tier phone is a smack in the face.
The verizon logo is so ugly
And too big for the space it was crammed in. It ruins an otherwise good design.
If there is no variant of 920, then there is still a warrented uproar by the audience. This variant means nothing to me, and is typical Verizon. During WP7, Verizon got only the Trophy and wondered why there were no sales...
Precisely.
Look at all of the polls on this site. Everyone is excited for the 920. At the Nokia event last month even Nokia didn’t seem very excited for the 820. So of course, let’s give everyone access to a phone that no one (generally speaking) is excited about, the 810/820/822, but make the phone with all the bells and whistles that everyone’s drooling over exclusive to AT&T. Sorry, but that’s a load of Barbra Streisand.
I’m not grabbing my pitchfork and torches just yet since nothing is official. But I am certainly not happy right now.
+1 P.S. Great user name.
Thank you. =D
+1. I would give you a +2, but that might make your head swell.
Verizon needs the Flagship. It should have insisted on it. I still believe a 920 is coming, but after an exclusive period, which I believe AT&T deserves after their WP 7 support. But Verizon customers deserve the top end choice.
Agree. I wouldn't be surprised if a 920 variant shows up for Verizon around Spring.
Lol @ unwarranted uproar. I don't think people were upset about the possibility of no Nokia on Verizon. They were upset the 920 is an exclusive, temporary or otherwise.
Thanks but no thanks if that is the only Nokia device Verizon is getting. And im still planning on avoiding HTC so unless there is a surprise, I am either switching to ATT or back to the waiting game.
Hopefully, the ATIV is coming as well, though Samsung needs to prove it's support of WP. I am sure it will be a great option, but with Android and Tizen on their plate, will WP8 just be leftovers?
It's funny how carriers (especially Verizon) say that windows phone doesn't sell very well. Uhh, yeah, no s***. That's what happens when you handicap these launches by NOT getting the best phone!! Where is the 920?!?
On the other hand the iPhone sells in millions despite of being exclusive to at&t
Historically, yes. But those days are long gone. The success of the iPhone can't be duplicated. Nokia needs it's Flagship, or a Flagship, on every carrier.
It was the only one of its kind back then. Ipods made the iPhone super popular, phone plus iTunes all in one!
Looks like a cheap plasticy mid range android, what a bite for Verizon users, I would have liked a high end 920
I bet it's the same plastic as in the Lumia 710, which doesn't look or feal cheap.
Guess I'll have to get my hands on one, which may not be easy because the Verizon stores around here don't stock WP and ridicule anyone that asks about em
Salespeople that ridicule customers should find another line of work.
boo
This phone looks like it would be called the Lumia 720 lol
I completely agree.. :-/
Well to be fair Nokia did say that there would be a unique device on every carrier. Too bad that device happens to be a mid range device instead of tha high end one. I personnally am looking forward to seeing a side by side of the the 810, 820, and 822.
This is not nearly as sexy as the 820 or 920....wanted a top of the line Lumia, but might take the 8x or switch to AT&T. Verizon is the largest wireless company and gets the worst phones. So sick of this...:-(
Verizon doesn't want to spend the money to carry a flagship cause other windows phones didn't sell well, but they never sold any windows phones cause they didn't carry them and didn't train staff that they were a good option.
I have a contract coming up in a few months on Sprint, and my coverage in northern michigan has gotten worse and worse, but Verizon is good up here and there are some areas of 4G already. ATT is okay, but I really, really don't want to go to them, and their coverage is not as good.

I have time to wait, but I hope it is a limited exclusive and VZ gets the 920 in the spring. I'm not buying a mid-grade device this time around.
If I was in your situation, I'd also wait until Spring to see if something else will come out for Verizon.
Not to sound like a jerk but we Trophy users have been waiting long enough. I am not waiting anymore. If Verizon doesn't announce a 9xx model before the end of the year, I am dropping them. They have had plenty of time and plenty of chances. I am sick of everyone I know having real options on their phones and being able to select high end devices.
I know what you mean, but at least you know Verizon will have two WP8s. Can you imagine those that are on Sprint? Yikes!

If you switch to AT&T, how much of a change (monthly costs, signal coverage) will that be?
We Trophy users have about 3 months to wait. That's when our 2 year contracts are up for renewal. At least mine, according to Verizon, and I ordered mine the day it was made available so I'd wager that's true for most of us.
This looks like the damn Jitter Bug....what are you thinking Verizon?
As I stated in the forums, it is ugly, but the more important aspect is what's inside. So if it has the screen and camera of the 920, then this will be my phone. If not, then, I'll wait a bit longer for the fabled 922 or the 8x.
Not digging the design, but it's not awful. But if this comes without those bells and whistles from the 920, ie PureMotionHD+, Pureview, etc, VZW customers (myself included) will still be disappointed. However, having choices is never a bad thing.
Out of everything beautiful Nokia has and will make, we get this?!? This phone reminds me of 2010.
I dont want a mid grade phone. I would be happy with a 920 unless this is a 920 with a different name and round corners I dont want it. Verizon is the only thing that works up here in the sticks of maine though so looks like I am stuck. So stupid.
Nokia Lumia 808. *BOOM BOOM-BOOM BOOM*
if my options are only going to be this or the htc 8x then my decision just got a lot easier -- 8x please and thank you. with this design, i obviously wouldn't be able to get the changable backplates with optional wireless charging (i.e. the best part about the 820) unless they're making them separately for verizon, t-mobile, etc. oh well, at least verizon customers now have the illusion of choice.....
T-Mobile's 810 will have the option for a wireless charging backplate so perhaps the Verizon version will do as well.
aside from resolution the lumia 810/20/22 is not a bad phone. im on atnt so i lucked out for the 920 but if i was on verizon (which i will never be regardless of how good the service is) the 822 doesnt look bad, not to mention the 8x and the ATIV S will be on their service. you still have options. Whats all the humbug about nokia screwing people, sure their decision to be exclusive to atnt was a bad way to go but thats assuming verizon wanted to carry it. for all we know they (verizon/tmo) opted for the lower end phone, possibly to avoid killing sales of their android hardware.
+1, although I wonder why you say you'll never be on Verizon regardless of how good their service is. What don't you like about Verizon?
I should rather say never again when I was on Verizon there was always something extra to pay for it felt like there was always hidden fees
Thanks for the explanation. I was thinking about bailing out of AT&T for Verizon, mainly due to a "grass is greener" mentality that I have. The 920 is only on AT&T (for now), so I guess I'll stay put.
thats okay no problem i live in Boston and for me anyway atnt has better service where i live. idk where you live but the 920 would be a reason to stay i guess. where are you from?
Without PureView, an 822 is sloppy seconds. I may end up with it, but it will be after I've worked really hard to see how cheaply I can move to AT&T leaving my family behind on Verizon.
That Verizon logo across the bottom is the suck btw. Yuck! I think that it makes it look much worse overall. At least be smaller?
Agreed. Super FUGLY logo. Makes it look like one of those LG almost-smartphones. Does the 8X only have it on the back? If so, good on HTC.
One more reason to validate my leaving Verizon behind in June, crap customer service and if you don't want either an iphone or android phone it seems that they don't want you either. When my pre plus started to act up after a Verizon tower update they did everything they could to try to get me to switch to either a iphone or android variant, I told them that I wanted a windows phone and that their choice was not up to par so I would be leaving, they couldn't understand why I wouldn't want to use my upgrade on a 2 year old mid tiered phone. So now I use an att pre pay until I can get my hands on a 920. (I've been jealous of my girlfriends 900 for months, in a few weeks the tables will turn ;) )
/end rant
Oh, the tables will turn indeed ;-)
This story is dumb. Hate to say told you so? Nope, you're wrong. People weren't upset about the possibility of Verizon not getting a Nokia phone, they (I) were upset about not getting the 920. I think WinFan1 is right... Verizon will not get a Flagship high-end Windows phone because they do not want to pull sales away from the high-end Android devices.
Well the story is not dumb but Verizon's decision (so far) is. I agree that Verizon has a lot invested in Android (especially Motorola phones) and the iPhone.
@Khensu Saw your post and disagree. We were 100% accurate in stating that Verizon would get their own variant of the Lumia. You're confusing our being right on a story with your sour grapes over not getting the Lumia 920, evidently, on Verizon. Big difference and that disappointment is not on us to take.
I'm saying the premise of the entire story is wrong. "At the centre of the controversy was the notion that there would not be a Nokia Windows Phone 8 device coming to Verizon." I don't think anyone was thinking this and from looking at the comments I think I'm right. The "we hate to say told you so.. but", again, I don't think anyone who follows this site doubted that Verizon was getting a Nokia WP8 device. The controversy was about Verizon not getting the best, most wanted windows phone. I read this story and think the writer doesn't actually understand what the controversy was actually about, and then comes off as condescening to the readers with the whole "told you so" crap. Sorry for the wall of text but for some reason it won't let me paragraph with the enter button! =P
Daniel, he's exactly right here. The comments have been consistent in this regard.

Not trying to throw you guys under the bus, but it's important to have you finger on the pulse of what your readership is trying to communicate. You guys are/will be in a much better position to get our message to the right people when that is the case.
i would have to be inclined to agree with khensu. Verizon heavily pushes its droid line, even more so than the iphone. Thats what makes me feel that Big Red decided against the lumia 920. Would be sweet if me and the guys (consumers) at big red could come together in rejoice over the 920, but sadly as fate would have it that is not the case, and i actually feel for those on verizon. Why? Well because if anyone has waited long enough for a wp like the 920 its the loyal trophy users and i feel they deserve a bone tossed to them. I cannot directly influence this decision, nor would i reccomend leaving a carrier only for a phone, but i do think that its pretty trashy of verizon to do this.
This thread is spot on. There has been "solid" evidence of a Nokia Windows Phone 8 but as has been stated, we are cheesed off that we apparently will not have a "920" at the 30-day launch window. Please, try not to become so disgruntled with the readers when we express opinions or try to communicate our clarification. I read this site 10 times a day and I don't respect backlash comments on the community that are not warranted. There are always going to be ignorant people making inane comments, but I trust the site's moderators to have more dignity than to snap at the fan base...am I wrong?
I keep looking at it and I cant stop thinking that it looks almost identical to my outdated Trophy...why change the design of the acceptable 820 and the very classy 810 to a device that looks 3 years old? =/
Why was our uproar unwarranted? This phone is sloppy seconds compared to the 920.
Verizon should make their tag line "The coverage you need the phones no one wants"
Hahaha!
"Late last week we wrote in length about the unwarranted uproar caused by the AT&T exclusive Nokia announcements. At the centre of the controversy was the notion that there would not be a Nokia Windows Phone 8 device coming to Verizon."
False, at the centre of the controversy was the notion that there would be no flagship 920 with OIS, PureView, etc. coming to Verizon.
Why you guys are defending Nokia while they obviously blow it in the U.S. is beyond me.
Nokia can't force Verizon to carry their phones if they don't want them for all we know Verizon is the one not playing ball. Look at the options or should I say option that they had for WP7 from the talks that I had with multiple customer service reps (all the way to tier 4 due to issues with my Verizon service) they had little if any interest in the WP platform. Until we have all the information lets not blame one side or the other.
bollocks. they obviously took the fast cash from att and went to work creating these sloppy seconds for the other carriers...
@schrags08 I think it's irresponsible to speculate about OEM-Carrier deals with such bravado. You, like all of us here, have no idea what transpired between the carriers and Nokia. Say it, admit, be okay with it. For instance, how do you not know that Verizon simply did not want a "high end" phone from Nokia? I understand the urge of being on the internet and just making things up, but please steer from speculation to what we know.
I have no idea what transpired between the carriers and Nokia. That being said, I think it's hard to not draw similar conclusions. We're told they did it this way because of what they learned in Europe with the 800. This isn't Europe. Verizon rules the roost in the U.S. Failing to get their flagship device on the #1 carrier is a huge blown save for both Nokia and the WP platform from a marketing perspective alone. Any and all parties involved in this decision should feel shame.
I think just about everyone in tech world agrees that having the 920 "everywhere" would be in Nokia's interests. That's not an issue though as we all agree on that. The question is why Verizon may/may not have a 920 equivalent. It's Verizon's choice, a lot of times, what phones they carry. Nokia just fills orders and I'm sure they'd be more than willing to please Verizon--I highly doubt they've turned down an offer from Verizon on such a phone though. More has to be at play here but we don't know and likely never will. Still, until Verizon makes an announcement for this phone (with specs) and potentially any others, I think we should still reserve judgment.
Does Nokia not have a sales team? How did they get on China Mobile? If that was priority #1, how was this not priority #2? Hard to believe they just sit and wait for offers to roll in from carriers...
Sure, we'll wait for the specs, and they might be great, but bottom line, it's not a 920. People want the 920 and won't be able to get it.
Honestly I can't blame them if they did go exclusive with AT&T for even a limited period of time since Verizon showed nearly no interest in supporting WP7 devices while AT&T had a full line up of phones (even though to say they promoted them poorly would be an understatement) I was an Alltel customer for 8 years and then was stuck with Verizon for 2 years after they bought them out, and unless you want an Android or Iphone Verizon doesn't really care. That is of course only mho.
@rwcrossman, Exactly. Have we all forgotten that Verizon was Apple's carrier of choice for the original iPhone, but Verizon didn't want to play ball. The rest is, of course, history. Apparently, history may be repeating itself.
Nokia has said that they wanted to create unique phones for the different carriers. Who's to say they didn't offer Verizon a 920 variant but maybe Verizon instead wanted a more low end version. Look at Tmobile. They are getting an 820 that has some features better than the 820 itself. To me that shows Nokia is willing to play ball. It just comes down to what the carriers want and order.
Any chance Apple is flexing it's muscles with the carriers and paying/threatening/incentivizing them to not carry the Windows Phone flag