Nokia Bittersweet Shimmer update to be called "Lumia Black

Nokia World 2013 kicks off in Abu Dhabi this week and while the company is expected to unveil numerous new devices, it's also believed we'll see more details emerge surrounding "Bittersweet Shimmer." What is Bittersweet Shimmer? It's Nokia's next major update for Lumia Windows Phones. Alongside Microsoft's Update 3, Nokia will bundle its own firmware and software updates.

According to The Verge, Nokia is to rename this update "Lumia Black." While more details on the update will surely be shared at Nokia World this week, we have looked at speculation and rumours surrounding the update, including an unofficial change log (with Update 3), as well as Glance Screen customisation. It'll be interesting to see exactly what Nokia plans to include in the update.

Be sure to remain tuned to our feeds for the latest coverage from Nokia World.

Source: The Verge

Rich Edmonds

Rich Edmonds is a word conjurer at Windows Central, covering everything related to Windows, gaming, and hardware. He's been involved in technology for more than a decade and knows a thing or two about the magic inside a device chassis. You can follow him over on Twitter at @RichEdmonds.

131 Comments

Black. Thank god for that. Bittersweet Shimmer sounds like a shoegaze band from 1991.
+920
+1020
+1020
+ iPhone 5S (JK, +620)
+928
That's racist.
I just loved it!! Lumia Black. I think its because of the Nokia Sirius you know.. ;) Don't be offended lol
+920
+1520 ..nice reference to HP ;)
Right❕... LOL..
+1520
+1520
LOLOLOL!!!
Not too far off. Bittersweet is track #2 and shimmer is track #3 from the rock band FUEL off if their 1998 album Sunburn.
They must have fans in Nokia product development.
Tracks 10 and 11 would have been Ozone Hideaway which is cool.
It's a Crayola color and is in the same pallet family as Amber.
It makes me think of sequin dresses for some reason.
i kinda actually liked the name..a lot!
Black community complaining in 3...2...1...
It would be worse if they called it Nokia White.
Or not.... People not laughing at your assumptions in 3..2..1....
Ha ha ha ?
Seems like they're doing the Android thing with colors instead of desserts. A for Amber, B for Black or Bittersweet Shimmer...
They did the same thing with Symbian.Tfere was Symbian Anna, then Belle, then there was meant to be something like Carla and then there was something for D which I can't remember.
Donna. But it never surfaced as Symbian was killed :(
Ah, gives me fond memories of the days of Lush and The Jeasus and Mary Chain. The dream of the 90s lives on.
Now you're talking. I remember seeing lush at the cooperage in Plymouth on my 21st birthday 1992!
-720
^^this
+925
yea, luckily they have change the name, I need to google it to find out what color it actually means the first time i read it. Black certainly makes more sense and easier to remember.
Good
Mary Jo already said it was Black last week on Windows Weekly.
Yes, give credit where credit's due. The Verge sure didn't give Mary Jo a shout out, but at least WPC could recognize!
I was also surprised not to see an article reporting on last week's Windows Weekly. They had Greg Sullivan (Director of Windows Phone!) on there and he said loads of interesting stuff (not neccesarily anything really new) that was worthy of a mention at least.
Make sure you tip us next time then. :)
Hah, will do. Consider yourselves tipped! I figured you'd all be avid viewers like me. ;)
Guess that's a better name. Not expecting this anytime soon since ATT like to shaft their customers and push other devices first before thinking of their current customers.
There was word that GDR3/Black will be pushed OTA by Microsoft and not through Carriers.
I pray that you are right
Don't you toy with me!
Man I hope you are right.
Carriers want/need to make changes to the firmware so I do not see this being pushed with out at least their approval.
I hope they include the extra columns for pre-GDR3 Lumias...
No
extra columns is only a registy hack... They should provide a switch on and off.
That requires 1080p resolution. So no, it won't happen.
No it doesn't.
Technically it doesn't but it's only intended for those devices. Most likely there won't be a switch for it.
No, it doesn't require 1080p check the ATIV S news story from yesterday. Its a registry hack. Looks damn good in 720P on the ATIV S.
That's a very subjective statement. I think it looks like crap on the ATIV S. Far too crowded...might as well be a flipping iPhone.
Yup, I didn't like the layout on the ATIV picture too. But that's the great thing about the WP8 interface. It's very customizable. The added columns are great because it provides additonal options in organizing the homescreen. Those who want to go as minimalistic as possible could just use solely large tiles :)
They tested it in earlier builds and ultimately decided against it but they did say it was something they might reconsider in the future
Give as a option, on off no "biggy" deal
Yup, MS and Nokia making it an option on pre-GDR3 Lumias would be awesome. Am I the only one who thinks they'd look awesome on the likes of the 920-925-1020?
I like to use the pic of the extra column and fill the 920 screen with it... It looks pretty sweet. I think it would be a great option
I hope too.
How would they write that on the about page if you're using a dark theme?
beat me to it! I was wondering that... if the Amber update is in Amber font... then the Black update...? (prolly white font, TBH)
Racist?
White borders. Bam!
They should rename it to shivermetimbers
That would be EPIC! LOL
Pineappleunderthesea lol
lol
I suppose this sounds more dignified-- as I've pointed out before, the old name sounded like some pony cousin of Twilight Sparkle's, hahaha. Either way, I hope the wait for the update isn't too long. I love having the GDR3 features via the dev program, but it won't feel complete without Nokia's updates too. Especially the Glance notifications!
I agree with you bro! Doesn't feel complete, I'm dying to have notifications on my glance screen❕❕
I knew it beforehand since i regularly follow Windows weekly!
Glance screen for Lumia 520?
Not possible because of screen. It'll just drain battery.
Eeee give me more!!!
Lumia X or Y will be next one after this
Nah, next is Black 2. Then X or Y.
Lol, sure there won't be a Gray or Z in there. ;-)
Caramel
more like Cyan or Crimson
+GottaCatchEmAll
I hope they fix the wireless charging 'dinging' issue in this.
When is it coming
I hope GDR3 + "Lumia Black will mainly fix OS and Firmware bugs and make the WP OS more stable with even more optimized and improved perfomance!!!
"More stable"?? Windows Phone 8 is already über stable.
WP8 is not as stable as WP7
In my opinion is WP8 the most stable OS of all.
WP7 is history.
With GDR3 I would dispute that IMO.
I have a NL920 (I flashed with an unbranded GDR2 Rom) & the NL925; have no issues with hardware or OS. I'm enjoying the fluidity & stability WP8 offers & looking forward to it becoming better.

Wish Nokia would flood Jamaica (Give Usain Bolt a Nokia Lumia and that's enough marketing here ) as Samsung opened up a store here recently.
They should renamed it to Lumia Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
I just hope Black will include some surprises. I miss the old days when there weren't so many leaks. :)
The black card is better than the gold card, as they say.
Can't wait !!!!!
Insert Black Joke,

Always bet on Black.
Once you go black you never go back.
Black is the new Bittersweet Shimmer.
Black means death, and death sells.
Sirius?
He's a murderer.
What do we know thus far about it?
Muuch nicer name def
So, the only thing we get with Lumia black is glance screen notifications? Is that it, why didn't anything else get leaked?
I thought we didn't like leaks!!!!
Shame. I kinda like the stripper names. Amber, Bittersweet Shimmer, etc.
Haha this^. +925
Amber is at the strip club in the suburbs, Lumia Black is at the "urban" strip club.
Sounded like the name of a character on the My Little Pony show my daughter watches.
Your daughter... Yeah...
Already running GDR3, so waiting for this Lumia Black
Phew...
I just got the Amber few days ago.. Now dunno why I'm already looking forward to GDR3 and Lumia black! Any idea when they'll start mass rolling it out on the Lumia 720?
Looking forward to 8.1 aka Blue already with so much info leaked on the GDR3...
I'm pumped. Nokia is king. You know, I always heard people praise Nokia and never understood why until now. All I pictured was the flip phones from the 90s and now with getting WP and Jumping on Nokia after HTC im definitely understanding. All it takes to be a successful company is to do exactly what they're doing right now. Thanks Nokia. Bring on the goods :) L925
+920
It is much better than the acronym that would have emerged and Nokia knew it. That is the reason for the change.
Nokia BS, what a can of worms.
Sounds like they are fans of Fuel
"Lumia Black" is good.... Then they have the possibility to release a Service Pack with the name "Lumia Back in black" :-)
Traffic rerouting on Nokia Drive+ would make my 1020 near perfect. I hope when they deliver it it doesn't require Black so I can get it immediately upon release and not wait on my wonderful carrier.
Nice Photoshop pict no way would bitter sweet be on an at@ t phone...maybe 2 years from now.
so next will be Cyan? named after their accent colors
It will be Blue. WP8.1 (Blue)
Blue is the name of the OS not the Firmware. Current OS from Microsoft is Windows Phone 8. The next release of the OS will be named Windows Phone 8.1 (Blue). Amber, Black are Firmware names given by Nokia independent of the OS produced by Microsoft.
Bittersweet Shimmer is a crayola color, look it up, it's in the orange hue family.
This is a good colorful lead-up to Blue: GDR2/Amber, GDR3/Black, and GDR4/WP8.1/Blue
GDR2(Amber) | GDR3(Black) -> WP8.1 Blue (Insert Colour Name starting with 'C' here which will stand for the new firmware from Nokia)
+920
Recently changed my phone name to Black Lumia. What a coincidence...
Give it freaking rest budlight
I hv updates my phone with last week gdr 3 updates
Do I get this Nokia updates on my phone ?
Hi There Nokians, Windows Phoners and the WPC team
I am absolutely throbbing with envy Daniel!! I would give a kidney to be there in Abu Dabi tomorrow :(
Anyhow. I want to ask if someone can PLEASE PLEASE PLEEEEEEZZZ Record the entire live stream of the event in decent quality and upload it to youtube! I wont be able to watch it myself and I am so pist off because of that :(
So can one of you awesome people capture the live stream and upload it to youtube so I can watch the magic later on???
I would really apreciate it guys
Thanks
So all our Lumia Phones will be Black and Blue in 2014
Maybe late to the party, but the update that is out for Nokia Pro camera today specifically references Black update. The URL still shows the details regarding Amber, though.
Too bitter for my Nokia Lumia 520
Is this update available for Lumia 800
So ... Lumia Black will launch with GDR3 included. But then will that be? November, December or early next year? The information on this is kinda all over the place on the internetz. I would love it if it would be in november :D (even though I updated to Amber just 1 month ago)
Why can't they just give concrete release dates for these updates? I don't wanna have my phone turned off trying to avoid one of my various female stalker model looking chicks and miss out.
hey i updated my 925 but dont get whatsapp notification on glance screen!!!plz help

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