The Lumia 925 – Hands on with Nokia's new flagship in video and photos

We’re still here in London, playing around with the recently announced Nokia Lumia 925. We’re talking to Nokia about the device and learning all sorts of bits of information, which we’ll share later today. For now, you can feast your eyes on our hands on video and some high quality shots.

For those of you who dismissing this as just another 920, we’d suggest you reconsider. The phone feels like a Lumia 720 (which we love) but it has the 920 guts inside, making it a very compelling device for those who want a thinner, lighter phone. It’s not an iteration of the 920, but “another expression” of it.

Do you like the 925? Tell why or why not in comments and we’ll toss up a poll too in another post to measure your reaction!

Daniel Rubino
Editor-in-chief

Daniel Rubino is the Editor-in-chief of Windows Central, head reviewer, podcast co-host, and analyst. He has been covering Microsoft since 2007 when this site was called WMExperts (and later Windows Phone Central). His interests include Windows, laptops, next-gen computing, and for some reason, watches. Before all this tech stuff, he worked on a Ph.D. in linguistics, watched people sleep (for medical purposes!), and ran the projectors at movie theaters because it was fun.

295 Comments
  • Take my money...
  • Same here lol
  • Ill rephrase that for you "shut up and take my money" ha
  • +1!
    LOL
  • This is a gorgeous device and I would change my L920 with it anyday. BTW, L928 for Verizon to me is very ugly...I'm sure some people will like but something tells me that it would not be the majority!
  • htc does way better design just look at the one and the htc 8x, this device have much better design quality then nokia 925
  • nobody is asking your oppinion or to buy it. there are pple who are happy with Nokia design and support that they will buy it.
  • Hahaha fail noob HTC one looks like z10 yes way better design lol noobie please go away and ur cool HTC one is 9.3 thick so Nokia eats u all the way
  • Add that charging cover to the Nokia and it grows quite a bit thicker.  They take out a feature to make it thinner... only to allow you to bring it back by adding bulk.  I wonder by how much that cover changes the specs.
    More to the point... I would love to see some colorful anodized aluminum from Nokia.  They took plastic and made it look premium.  Now they should take aluminum and make it look more warm and fun.
     
  • It's difficult to add paint to aluminium and not have it come off quickly because of scratches. With polycarbonate plastic, ABS etc. you can dye the plastic so the whole thing is the same colour all the way though, so if you scratch it, then at least it's the same colour underneath. Wil aluminium however you can only apply a surface layer of paint. If you look at some of the HTC android phones from a year or so ago (the HTC One S I think the paint was falling off very quickly. Even a hairline scratch will expose the bare aluminium and allow more paint to flake off.
  • Looks like someone is smoking the wrong end otheir cigarette or just blind. Nokia had a lawsuit again HTC for their phone design looking like their lumia brand, so how u gonna come here talking that nonsense. Open your eyes man. Htc has good designs but not like Nokia.
  • And I thought I was going to be cool with my 928, damn I want this phone! 
     
  • Dude you tie yourself up in knots trying to get around saying "It is a 920 in lipstick". 
  • It's not though and I disagree. It's a solid device, really well executed. It's not a revolution but an impressive advancement of the 920.
  • An advancement with less storage? Right!
  • There are 32gb variants coming to some carriers and probably later for all.
  • That's the dumbest thing I've heard. For one, Vodafone is getting the 32GB version. Number two, not everyone values "more storage" over size and design. If you don't like it, that's fine, but don't act like this doesn't bring some new options to the table for those who turned down the 920 due to size and weight.
  • What's NEW here I'm genuinly curious to know.
  • The camera is better due to it having 6 lenses over 5 (better daylight performance).
  • This is obviously correct, because Nokia told him so #TheOISAdvertEffect
  • LOL if you say so.
  • What the hell is it with the hate here?
     
    I was in the verge comments reading all the people moaning and groaning about how this isn't a suitable 6 month refresh. I came here expecting different.
     
    Who the hell else does a six month refresh that they're comparing against? I think this is brilliant, it's like in console market, like when the Xbox 360 s/PS 3 slim updates were released. Just improving on a good thing, at least we're getting some lofty promises for the summer, and with today's excitement I'm really looking forward to it.
     
    And objectively, it's at the very least taking the Lumia in a whole new area of design, trying out new things. Which is a lot more than I can say about the 12 month refreshes a lot of the competition makes.
     
    The amber update is awesome, nothing groundreaking, but lots of nifty stuff. Jumping straight into a lens when turning on the camera application, that's going to be huge! You can completely replace the default camera on the phone, which would be an insanely bold move. Even if it was customization as the result of Nokia's preferred status, this is still cool, no reason other OEMs couldn't get it.
     
    A WP flagship on Verizon, and a WP flagship on tmobile, how can anyone downplay this? The fans on big red and tmo should be ecstatic. And they seem to be tightening up the dead time from announcement to release.
     
    Honestly, they packed a lot of announcements in to that one event, I don't get how this is being downplayed.
     
    And all the software goodness comes to the rest of the Lumia devices, I wouldn't expect less, but nice to get a confirmation.
  • "Jumping straight into a lens when turning on the camera application, that's going to be huge!"
    Wah?!?!? THIS IS HUGE!!!!!!! I always found he lenses nice but cumbersome as you needed to access them separately making them more of a "let me show you what my phone can do" thing than something I would want to use on a daily basis. THANK YOU for pointing this out!!
  • That's the way with WP these days. Everything is something to complain about, and nothing is good enough. I'm sure there are some trolls here, but still too many bitch-ass crybabies.
  • Huh, I hadn't noticed. Just the other day I went to the comments regarding the article that announced the new Verizon phone and right out of the gate, first in line, front and center, was a post from a WHINEY ASSED BITCH! But that was an anomaly.
  • Well your first mistake was reading the verge for one. With games as large as they are on windows phone 8 I can see how some would be vocal about 16gb of storage. I use my device as a mp3 player and I like to download a lot of podcast commuting back and forth to work. I quickly outgrew my 16gb of storage and I am not even a gamer...
    Granted not everyone uses their phone like I do and they can be content with streaming apps like Nokia Music, Pandora, Slacker etc.. It just comes down to your device use for me 16gb is too anemic for my purposes. I am not on T-mobile though and I will snag a 920 when my contract is up or when I see one for the right price. :P
  • Yet nobody at The Verge batted an eye when the Galaxy S3 mini appeared to cater to the demands of nobody at all; that should tell you everything that you needed to know about the userbase there.
  • Daniel, I agree with you man, these idiots are just trolling.
     
    920's weight and thickness was a deal breaker for me, not too sure about thos big bezels again on this device but on the plus side the screen is OLED which is a + for me.
  • The screen is OLED: good for always on clock and notifications.
  • Why are you mad? He is just stating his opinion just like you do too. No need to call dumbs 
    > Vodafone is getting the 32GB version
    That's great because everyone in the world uses Vodafone
  • I'll call people's opinions dumb if they're not well justified, especially since it's judging a device by one, single metric and ignoring other things. You don't get to go around in life saying anything you want without reproach just because it's your "opinion". That's the second dumbest thing I've heard ;)
  • Excuse me sir, but you are an arrogant idiot.
  • And you're a pompous prick ;)
  • I'm sorry if I hurt your boyfriend's feelings.
  • Can we stop this, this isn't Engadget.
  • Damn it! Not Engadget? Third time this week ):
  • No worries, Steves. I'll let it slide this time ;)
  • nope, he's right. buzz off troll.  trolls' opinions don't matter.
  • Your statement is a non-sequitur. Not only did Daniel's comment make perfect sense but it also showed me that he was raised by parents, or parent, that instilled a moral compass in that for every action, there are consequences. Arrogance, IMO, is most often displayed by people with high intelligence but no empathy for the people whom such a person would consider inferior. Daniel is, without a doubt, a very smart man yet I've never seen him belittle anyone and idiots don't typically head up an organization such as WPCentral. No, idiots usually make comments such as yours. As for me? I'm an idiot which makes me infinitely qualified to call a spade a spade. Carry on Daniel. Excelsior.
  • Believe me when I say, that I don't take those words lightly. But I stand behind them. And it was not based on that single reply from Daniel, but rather his long time attitude in the comments towards people that don't agree with him. The fact that I am not the only person that takes offense at that is proof enough that there really is an issue with his behavior. And everybody who reads these comments knows this by now (unless they are blind with the fanboy love, as it happens here, rather frequently, might I say).
  • I surrender. You have irrefutable proof. You also used the "Fanboy" insult, no, "Fanboy LOVE" insult.
     
    StevesBalls, StevesBalls. Hmmmmm, that says... 15?
  • I agree with Mr. Rubino and people are too sensitive when it comes to our opinions. I like the size and design of the device I dont like the fact its called a 925 i think 825 or 875 is a little closer to home seeing how only Voda will a 32G Im on T-Mo so maybe i can buy a unlocked INT version & I dont like the redesigned camera Im a more flush kinda guy.
    Seriously get over yourselves guys & girls and yes some of the post people make are dumb & uneducated remarks. half the time people post without even reading the articles.
    I would have like to see the 928 & 925 with expandable storage to increase its value even more.(for us storage hungry)
  • I'm just like Matt Damon from Good Will Hunting, I just solve chalk board mathematical equations when no one is looking...
  • I think the primary reason that it cannot be part of the 820 series of phones is because of the display.  The 768P displays are in the 920 series.
     
    Another thing is that T-Mobile has unlimited data.  Sure they will scale down your speed at some point, but Skydrive storage is a more feasible option.  And we must remember that Lumia Storage Check deals with the terrible "Other" storage bug while GDR2 will likely take care of it permanently in the OS.  I've got a lot of apps and games installed on my phone and am using under 4GB of storage on my 822's phone storage of 16GB.  Granted, I do have microSD, but even with the music I'ev stored locally there, I'd still be under 16GB total if not for the "Other" issue.  I clear out my photos every so often because the phone backs them up to Skydrive when I'm on wifi.
    Regardless, the 925 and 928 are both very nice evolutions on the 920 design.  I'd prefer the 928 due to the Xenon flash (and I'm on Verizon anyways, so what can you do?).   
  • This guy gets it. ^
  • well it has a pureview camera and a 720p screen. can't be an 8xx phone.
  • Look I'm pretty good with this, For us who are on T-MO US this is awesome. I'm really liking the design of this device it's different from what we have seen with the Nokia Lumia line to date. More so I'm keen to know a lot more on the camera in this device. I'll be in a T-MO store on day one for this guy.
  • I doubt he's "mad" just a little frustrating when you write an article for only people to bash the product you flew halfway across the world to appreciate.
  • He's probably in a pub having a drink and laughing at the comments!
    Back on the phone, great for non 920 users.  Don't like it?  Wait for the next big thing.
  • I agree with FavBrowser even though Blocks9 is probably a troll. Mr. Rubino looked too deep into the comment without knowing what it means. He is stating how ironic it is that everything else is better but the storage capacity isn't. iT IS EXTEMELY FUSTRATING FOR T-MOBILE USERS TO NOT EVEN HAVE THE OPTION FOR THE 32 gigs. In nowhere in his post does Blocks9 discount any other feature. So Rubino's rebuttle that blocks9 doesn't think this introduces new features is redundant. 
  • Extra storage does NOT mean extra size and wright; the physical difference between a 16, 32 and 64GB chip is negligible, and if you really believe otherwise, perhaps you should re-evaluate your knowledge of the industry...
  • No, perhaps YOU need to have a proper read and think about what he said, let's try to spell it out
    1) To most technical people (Who are probably less than 1% of the market), more storage option might be more appealing compared to a slimmer design with a metal casing.
    2) Most other non-technical people will go for a slimmer form factor any day, i've never heard my girlfriend complain about the12GB non expandable memory on her phone, she always moans about why my 920 is so heavy though when she has to borrow my phone when we are out and about and her crappy Android HTC can never get a decent reception for viewing maps.
    There has to be a trade-off, slimmer components, aluminium casing, better screen will increase the cost per unit production for the phone, hence it looks like size of memory has taken a hit here. I still prefer my 920 as I’d rather not do without wireless charging, but’s that’s just because it a form factor that appeals to me.
  • Your girlfriend is not the whole world. I know a lot of tech illiterate people who value memory capacity as much as the design of a phone;. Not having 32 gigs is a con. I just don't get why vodafone get the 32 gig model and not t-mobile. It has to be something with the carriers. It wouldn't make sense for Nokia to cause this because the increase cost and weight for more gigs is negligble. It is fustrating for t-mobile users. 
  • Some carriers will offer the 32GB variant, not all! I understand you are the editor of this site, but you are completely unable to criticise anything Nokia does. Cant believe you flew all the way to England for this event. It most certainly is a poor mans "flagship". And based on the majority of the comments on this website, most people feel completely underwhelmed. But not you, of course not!
  • That's why he cant bear the fact the announcement was pathetic... He's wasted a perfectly good few days, to come to England, where it has been raining for the past week, to spend a few hours being told "this phone is the phone that will turn Nokia around"...
  • +1
    completely underwhelmed and disappointed, the only thing i like is the build material
  • LMAO
  • I'm sure being in London, going to a nice event where you probably get free stuff and the fact that he can drink with his buddy Rich is really a "waste of time" smh...
    Great read, Daniel, in spite of dummies.
  • Ok well before u hate on the man that's givin us knowledge on everything WP u should realize T-Mobile only has the low end phones and now the T-Mobile users get more choice doesn't that seem good u kno this isn't the last phone Nokia is making its a really nice phone
  • Gosh. This is what most people expected, a re-worked 920. Thinner, lighter, improved camera, and lower storage options to bring down the base price. It's what Nokia need to boost sales until 8.1 Blue comes out and they can release EOS and Grand with new form factors. Sure it's underwhelming, but it's not surprising and there's no need for name calling just cos you hoped for more. Nokia will deliver, just wait til the Autumn (or Fall if you prefer).
  • Increasing the storage capacity shouldn't increase the base price. Those gigs aren't that expensive. Do your research.
  • It does bring a new option...slimmer, sleeker aluminium body which trades off certain features. It will attract all of those who thought the 920 was too thick. However, this design should have come a good few months ago, not close to the time when the next generation flagship is due. The specs seem a little old especially when you consider SG4 and HTC One, which have already been launched. I really do hope there will be an improved flagship coming in fall this year.
  • They do, but, compare these specs to the iPhone 5 and it's not all bad.
  • I can't fully agree with you there.. First of we have to take into consideration the fact that both Nokia and Microsoft desperately need and want to expand their market share. Nokia needs to be selling more phones and Microsoft needs to get Windows Phone more attractive in the market. It does not really matter if you are a fan of the Windows Phone operating system or not, in order to grab more market share, in order to gain users from Android and iOS they need to become more relevant in the market. Gaining more focus from third-party developers and manufactures, if not they will fell short for many users years to come as there is still a huge lack of popular third-party applications that people demand to have on their phone these days. The same goes for new applications; you barely see any of the new hits, if it is a game or some kind of other application heading for Windows Phone first. Normally you will see it on iOS and Android, or perhaps iOS first, then two weeks later on Android with a Windows Phone version yet to be announced. This is simply not good enough, you might argue that third party applications is not that important, but to most people (and really those are the people Microsoft and Nokia needs to win over) think otherwise. With the knowledge of most of their applications, which they have been using for the past years on their Android or iOS device will not be available on Windows Phone, they simply chooses other alternatives no matter how attractive and interesting the system might be. In short, both Nokia and Microsoft are the underdogs in the market as of now. As an underdog, as some whom really want to get their platform to expand and grab market share from already existing platforms, what do you do? You most certainly do not release a device that got the exact same hardware (besides the body and the extra lenses on the camera and lack of wireless charging built in) as the one you released half a year ago. Not to mention that the Lumia 920 when it came already had insufficient hardware compared to the other, similar priced alternatives like the Samsung Galaxy SIII, Samsung Galaxy Note 2, HTC OneX+ and iPhone 5. Compared to the iPhone 5, we have a CPU that is scoring slightly below in every know benchmark to date and we have a GPU that is not even close to the performance of the PowerVX within iPhone 5 and compared to Galaxy SIII and Galaxy Note 2 is mostly the same things there. Today we even got the HTC One and Galaxy S4 to take into consideration, which blast the Lumia 925 out of water in terms of both CPU and GPU and we will even have the iPhone 5S / iPhone 6 before the Lumia 925 hit most countries. I am not stating that raw hardware is everything in world. It most certainly is, which both the iOS and Windows Phone platform has proven compared to Android as inferior hardware still tends to beat Android performance due to much better software optimisation on iOS and Windows Phone. However, that does not change the fact that we have a middle+ specified device sold at a same price range as a fully fledge device. Taking the raw hardware into consideration the Lumia 920 and Lumia 925 should have quite a lower price point compared to other premium models out there, but they do not. In addition, when it even runs an operating system begging for higher market share it does not make much sense to me.
  • If I summed your post up in two words it would be, tech geek. That's not a bad thing at all. It's just day in and day out, I see more people to who your post would be irrelevant and or technobabble. I hardly ever mention anything about gigabytes, dual core, quad core, octacore, gigahertz, RAM, and so on. Why? Because most don't know and don't care. They don't buy phones for that reason. It's like cars. There are a few people who buy cars because of horsepower and this tech or that tech. Most people buy cars based on aesthetics, safety features and... price. People buy phones for much of the same reasons. Do you know how many times I've heard people say I don't want the Windows Phone because it only has a dual core processor, or it only has 8 or 16gb of storage space or it only has 1 gig of RAM? Maybe once. I'll even give you twice.
     
    So, what may be relevant to a bunch of geeks on a mobile phone forum, is not necessarily relevant to most people purchasing the phone. You and I are in a very small minority, my friend. But, I'll probably grab the 925 myself. I even thought about getting a 521.
  • I swear I've read this same post before. I think it was around 3 years ago back when Windows phone 7 hit the stores.
  • So I gather that you don't quite understand that (in the US)  this is simply T-mobiles version of the 920? I mean it's been said over and over. So I'm not sure how the 920 competes with those other devices VERY WELL (according to test, after test and review after review that I see) but this slightly bumped up 920 doesn't??
    Also your claims of CPU, and GPU power are almost as irrelevant an argument as total number of apps is. What matters to most people is, "does whatever I bought run?" That's literally it. While you can pull up tests and data that may tell you a story I will simply tell you that any WP device runs better and handles IT'S OS better than the most powerful android device out there. Prove me wrong.
    If all that you speak on mattered then the iphone wouldn't be the top seller. It would be the strongest android device out today.
     
  • You seriously gotta calm down! lol! We are all friends here. I've been a Nokia fans since before Symbian days...n also a windows guys. What 'Thomas Andre Teige' were both trying to say is that people do look into specs, and when they look into the fact that SG4 has an octa-core and the new Lumia has only two cores, common folks will think that lumia is simply out-dated.
    Even though, the majority of SG4s won't have octa-cores and even with it, its performance, while good, is not off the charts. Samsung uses specs as marketing tools. Apple never used specs as part of marketing, they focused very effectively on the entire user-experience.
    What my concern is whether 925 be able to position itself against the specs being shown-off by the likes of Samsung and HTC....thats all
  • bravo Dan.. The storage thing has never been an issue for me. I didn't want the bulk of the 920 this nails the size thing for me. Instead of bitching about this one just don't buy it and wait for the other announcements that are coming later in the year.
  • Exactly, I fully agree with the last sentence. And thanks for the info on the new lens, I haven't read that in any of the news (maybe I just missed it), so I was assuming it was the same lens. I have one question though:
    This phone is coming to Europe in 16GB and in 32GB exclusively for Vodafone, now I have a question that I couldn't find an answer for online: With WP7 it was possible to force the update with the cable trick, which I made extensive use of with my LG E900 which, altough bought free on the market, had Vodafone in it's "Info" (altough it didn't have any software branding) and wouldn't get the updates on the first day of release. Now, is it possible to force the update with WP8? When I google for it I only get descriptions for WP7, and I need to be on the safe side when I buy a phone with carrier-branding.
  • Advancement in some designareas at least.
  • Storage is a very significant issue.  I think people have every right to question the decision to have 16 gig and no microSD card slot. I think it was insulting of Mr. Rubino to say that "That's the dumbest thing I've heard."    While storage issues may be one of a number of factors that one judges a phone on,  to call concerns about the storage decision made on the 925 "the dumbest thing" is no doubt wrong, and quite insulting. I am not saying that all customer posts are well written and balanced, however Mr. Rubino's statement was uncalled for.  If someone prioritizes storage issues above other issues, that is not necessarily a dumb decision.   Mr. Rubino certainly could have emphasized that there are potentially trade offs or that there were other good features about the phone without being unproffesional to as to call a concern about storage DUMB.
    What I note is a fair amount of rationalization for what is in effect a "poor" decision by Mr Rubino.  
     
  • Storage is asignificant issue. Especially considering I have an L810 with that f*ckin' "other" storage eating my phone alive right now. But, keep in mind that outside of the iphone, a whole shit load of lower level devices sell. And none of them have much along the lines of storage either.
    Maybe unfair to call this a premium device and cut storage short, but Nokia isn't the only ones doing it. Doesn't the Nexus 4 only come in 8 and 4 gb?
  • Hi Sean, I've got an 810 as well, so storage is signficant to me as well. However my main point in that comment is not that I was wondering why Nokia made that decision or comparing the storage in the 925 to either other WP devices or non WP devices, it really was to point out how problematic Mr. Rubino's statement was. "That's the dumbest thing I've heard. For one, Vodafone is getting the 32GB version. Number two, not everyone values "more storage" over size and design. If you don't like it, that's fine, but don't act like this doesn't bring some new options to the table for those who turned down the 920 due to size and weight." Pretty much everything Rubino said is a fine analysis and an appropriate response, except for the "dumbest thing" statement. Rubino EASILY could have said something like "to each their own" but responding saying "that's the dumbest thing I've heard" to the statement "An advancement with less storage? Right!" was really not so smart. Maybe he had a really long night, but it really was pretty much an unforced error in judgment.
  • I agree. Though I'm going to sit this round out and wait for the eos it at least shows that Nokia is capable of producing a really premium and stylish device. It should give us great confidence for the next wave of devices. Hopefully Microsoft can live up to the hardware design.
  • An advancement with less features and storage? Go home Daniel, you're drunk :P
  • Well, seeing as I'm the only here who has handled one numerous times now, I'll stick with my thoughts on it ;P
  • Again, you show utter contempt for your readership! As you often do!
  • Yet, you're still here, reading his articles and commenting on them too...hmm...Thats like saying, I hate the train, but you continue to ride it anyways. You can take the bus man, we really won't mind ;)
  • NICE!
  • Or you know, maybe he is here because of Windows Phone and not some guy writing about it and acting like a dick about it.
  • Here's a thought, go start your own Windows forum then you can be the arrogant idiot everybody wants to insult. It always the guys that climb the flagpole that get their asses shot at and the guys on the ground throwing rocks never focus on anything other than the ass cheeks at which they are aiming. Now, one of these people displays intelligence and initiative and the other? He's good at hurling rocks. If I were sitting in England drinking a pint I'd be waving at all of the people who think they are smarter. In fact, if you feel so offended, why are you here?
  • Cool story bro. Now go get that sand out of your vagina.
  • You slay me, Bro.
    Man, you're such a Vag. (hint, using the entire word is definitley NOT cool, Bro.)
    I only WISH I had your vocabulary.
    In case you didn't notice, I'm not using sarcasm this time. I'm actually being condescending because I think I'm like, you know, WAY smarter than you, Bro.
    If I had a tenth of Daniel Rubino's intelligence and self control, I sure as hell wouldn't be giving you the time of day. And, no, I don't know Daniel Rubino from Adam but you can say whatever you like to me. Just leave him out of it. Or, just go away.
    You have the floor, Bro! I'm outta here. Gotta find something to do with all of this sand, Bro.
  • Bull. Daniel has his opinions, but let's also remember that he has actually used and handled almost every single Windows Phone device that has existed since launch. Let us also not forget how often he has told us how much he LOVES his 920. A sleeker, thinner build of the 920 is an advancement. Frankly, the 920 and its series are the best phones on the market STILL. The GS4 is primarily gimmicks that don't work or kill battery (got to use one and wasn't impressed). The most important fact: every major US carrier supporting WP8 now has a flagship Nokia and a mid-level or low-level Nokia. That helps Nokia and WP8. I know A LOT of Verizon customers that have been waiting for months for the 928 - all replacing Droids and iPhones. And T-Mobile has gotten an impressive gateway drug in the 521. My aunt and her boyfriend ordered a pair. In fact, I've gotten pretty much my whole family over to Windows Phone including my 89 year old grandmother (who loves it, by the way, but found the Android and iPhones confusing and WP8 to be simple and easy to use) other than my brother, who is likely to switch from Android when his contract renewal comes up. Besides, don't criticize Nokia here - I'd bet it is the carrier that requests the storage size and T-Mobile did it because they know their customers.
  • Hey Dan, go for some afternoon tea, or meet the queen, don't waste your time with the dummies. :)
  • Or maybe he should suck on your lemon, Stevie! He'd probably do a better job at that, than reviewing new "flagship" phones that totally blow his mind!
  • Lol! You just gave me a great laugh that I much needed today.
  • You should fuck off and go read Engadget.
  • More cult like followers.
    well whatever generates him some ad revenue.
  • Or maybe you should go suck up to Rubino on Twitter and let other people express their opinions even if they are different than yours.
  • I don't know sir. Wireless charging plates with a required case has been around a few years. 
    The point of all this wireless charging technology is to INTEGRATE it into the phone. 
    The necessity of a cover is just a step back.  Weight and Thinness may be an advancement but 1cm and 180grams shouldn't even be considered a liability in the first place.  I'd say maybe a good optional 920 choice that is in metal. Not an advancement for sure.
  • Doesn't this fit the profile of what tmo is trying to do? Since there are no subsidies, they have to produce a less expensive variant because you are expected to pay full price for your device.
  • the only comment that has made sense on this thread.
     
  • This ^
  • I'm pretty disappointed too. They really dropped the ball. If they were just going to change the design and downgrade the storage they shouldn't have come out with it. There isn't even built in wireless charging, its the same L920 in a different form with less technical features. I wanted my Girlfriend to switch her iPhone with whatever Nokia was coming out with but this isn't even worth the switch #sameshitdifferentshape
  • i like it.
  • While I can't say the same about the case, that phone is hawt! ...wait. I may have switched the two up.
  • Looks great! I would have purchased this over the HTC 8X if it was available at the time here on T-Mobile. Not a big enough incentive to switch now.
  • I agree...would have loved to hold them both and compare them...at this point I'll be switching for the smart cam update and the wireless charging capability and I don't see myself shelling out $500+ for those upgrades alone...However, if we add a bigger screen and slightly more storage, I just may do it! Lol! :)
  • 920 looks much better. the only disadvantage of 920 is LCD instead of AMOLED
  • This is much thinner and lighter and has 6 lenses, over 5, which gives it better daylight performance. So I'd say there is more to it. It also gets better reception due to the metal body and placement of the microUSB on top..
  • When i read this comment, i instantly think of the famous Tokyo drift line... "wow, he read the brochure"... Everything you just wrote aside from the weight and size issue, is completely debatable, and not guaranteed in any way, the only way to find out if all these "improvements" make a jot of difference, is in the real world... I'd have though you'd have learnt by now, not to trust the crap Nokia spew out at announcements; they're not exactly going to highlight any shortcomings of the device now are they? #DontRecallThemHighlightingCrap920DaylightPhotosOrShort900Lifespan
  • I somewhat agree with you about the short 900 lifespan. Mines less then 8 months old and has already been sent for repairs once and is beginning to act all fucky again
  • So now you like the micro USB placement on top? Eh, this changes rather quickly... Bottom or top, which one is it? And wasn't this supposed to be standardized? I understand that each mobile nation site has a preference, but the fanboyism on this site is getting ridiculous. I have much more respect for people like Rene, who while loving his iPhone is not blind to the fact that nothing is perfect and that there are other platforms out there. You really could use a a bit of that attitude that people like Rene are bringing to the table.
  • Don't come here then, man. I appreciate the work these guys do, and if I didn't, I would go read news somewhere else. Your not strong armed into visiting WPcentral you know.
  • LOL I stopped reading after "Renee, while loving his iPhone is not blind, I'm sorry I mean no harm but that's funny!!!:)
  • Well Rene is more 'senior' than Daniel at Mobile Nations. It's for a reason.
  • Lol I don't care who's more senior at Mobile Nations. I'm here for WPCentral aren't you?
  • Word!
  • @Steveballs The micro USB placement has never been standard and no one has ever claimed it to be.
  • Oh I beg to differ: http://www.wpcentral.com/htc-accord-apollo-windows-phone-diagram-leaked-...
  • Words like "leak" and "rumor" leave me skeptical.
  • Daniel, Thankyou for all the hard work you and the WPCentral staff do for the community. I've been following you for several years now and you have been fair to all WP OEM's. But as many have dropped the ball in support or updates except for Nokia what else can you report about anyone else? Oh yea I know, they updated a few apps after a few years of being in limbo! I only dream of the day when I can fly to London to cover a WP unveiling LOL!!! SOOOOOOO Jealous!
  • Why metal body make reception better? It make reception worse in iPhone right? Just curious.
  • In theory, if well designed it will be no better and no worse. In fact, in practice it might be worse when gripped by a hand since it will be detuned more severely. 
  • Wow! look at all these people getting made just because you like the phone....that's hilarious! 
     
    I am torn between this and the 928!  Im leaning 928 though.
  • The metal body has the opposit effect. It can effect the reception negativley.
  • Wrong!  For the entire time I used my Nokia N8, I NEVER dropped a call, and everyone that I spoke to indicated that it sounded like I was right in the room talking to them.
     
    Nokia has several patents/IP on their telephony and antenna's - they know what they are doing with this Lumia 925!
  • +1 Nokia N8 owner here - i agree, never had any dropped calls from the depths of Houston, TX to Minot North Dakota, to the UK, to Dubai, to Pakistan... been everywhere with that phone, and its a solid phone first and foremost.
  • I wouldn't believe them on the reception. Ask for TRP and TIS measurements.
  • I have to agree with sulsim... I think the 920 is much more visually appealing. I hope Nokia is not going to give up on their polycarbonate color phones. I think this would have been more appealing in polycarbonate, and the lack of colors is depressing.
  • totally worthless. i would rather have SD card support and a removable battery. a metal body means you're now susceptible to dings? finally, i've seen some images where that camera hump makes it look like a damn zit.
  • I would not worry about the durability aspect... Nokia knows how to do aluminium frame properly:
     
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8b3Ei6MSNY
  • It's thinner, lighter and sports a new aluminum body...I would say that's 'worth' something.
  • it is not worthless at all. This is Nokia and MS bringing the flagship lumia 920 to all carriers just because you all don't understand that and want more when you want it don't make this phone worthless. AT&T had exclusive rights and now that is gone Nokia has made some advances to the hardware and releasing it on the other major carries now. That is what this is this is not a replacement for the 920 it is the 920 on other carriers with some improvements they have learned since first designing the 920
  • oh i do understand that, Mr. mind reader. i was pretty pissed when the 920 or a variant wasn't available on Verizon so i got the 822 and I'm probably better off for it. i don't spend my entire waking day taking pictures and video, so while i am envious of not having a top-of-the-line camera, i would rather have the removable battery and SD card, TYVM.
     
    but tell me how this phone is supposed to be better than the 928? hmm? even then, the 928 has a huge shortcoming in that it doesn't have an SD card slot either. big fail.
     
  • HTC One doesn't have an SD card slot, it's doing pretty well...
  • good for them. it still sucks (for my use).
  • Mr. Mind reader? I never proclaim to be that. If you have a lumia 822 this phone is not designed for you at all. Obviously removable sd cards are important to you and you know the 920 line don’t have removable storage then I don’t understand why you are in the market for a 920 variant.
    You asked how is it better than the 928, I never said it was I said it was variation of the 920 (not 928) with some advances in hardware. Again if those advances are not important to you just move on. This phone is far from worthless as you stated in many areas and some have nothing to do with the specs at all.
    Most people don’t buy phones every six months so a company like Nokia or Apple even doesn’t plan their releases around a six month turn around. If that was the case than yes this phone would have been completely different. What Nokia is doing is getting their money out of this line of phones first then they will move on to the next (and I am sure they already have started or nearly completed that) phone but today is not the day to release it.
    Again you calling this phone totally worthless is assuming they made it just for you but we all know that is not the case.
    I have been around this site for a very long time but I don’t write much because there is so much crying and carrying on here sometimes it just get downright boring. People think companies are suppose do what they say when they say it that is not how the business world works.
     
  • businesses don't always know the what the right thing to do is. if they did, they wouldn't still be running Win95.
    I didn't plan on replacing my phone every 6 months- i kept my last one, a Tour 9630, for something like 30, but if Nokia had a flagship phone WITH SD CARD SUPPORT, i would have paid the extra $$ to get it.
    honestly, my 822 is getting the job done, though its shortcomings are 100% due to the OS itself. for instance, i've discovered that i can't run Pandora and record video at the same time.
  • Not a fan. That wireless charging cover is fugly. Wish the 928 was the global version, not the 925 :-(
  • yes i agree with you...
  • totally, 928 is much more streamlined
  • have to agree. To me the number one reason for WP8 was the design and fantastic looks of it. The 920 brought the same attention to detail on the hardware side. Now the 925 is a totally different story: A mediocre design at best that only gets worse when the weired shell is snapped on. Sorry, in my book Nokia dropped the ball on this one...
    Which makes me hope the coming devices will look nice again, because otherwise I just can't see myself buying a Nokia phone this fall. Bummer, really.
  • That's all opinion, some like the design, such as myself. I would love to have an aluminum bodied phone, and the reduced weight and thickness is a big plus for me as well.
  • Sure it's all opinion, but if you go through these comments you'll have to admit that the quota of people who flat out dismiss the design as ugly is a tad scary. Compare that to WWDC: I wholeheartedly hate Apple products myself for a number of reasons, but always thought their designs were incredibly gorgeous.
    I guess I justed wished the same for Nokia with today's event, i.e. another 920-like design with regards to media praise, hence the disappointment on my side. Now, don't get me wrong - I sure hope Nokia will find loads and loads of people who think like you rather than me, as I strongly believe in WP8 and wish the platform the best HW support it can possibly get!
  • They may have more wireless charging covers slated for the future, this is just release day.
  • Like it but not enuff to upgrade from my 920! Like my color options better. Hope the EOS brings back the cyan blue!
  • I think it'd be odd for a 920 user to "upgrade" to this. It's more or less for those who didn't want a 920 for "X" reason, including carrier availability.
  • Daniel, I own a Lumia 920 and I'm really interested in the future software updates coming this year from Nokia and Microsoft. I would love to see a list of added features, bug fixes and other improvments.
    Would love to see articles on WPCentral about these updates. Do you know when you'll have detailed informations about GDR2 and other updates?
  • There is unfortunately not "a lot" to be known about the next update aside from a few here says and what not's. (1080p support, quad-core support, FM antenna?, Bluetooth 4.0?)
  • Dan, isn't this more the case of ATT's 6 month exclusivity ending and Nokia providing carriers with unique variations on the 9XX WP8 line? I mean seriously, people would be pissed if this was something that blew the doors off the device they purchased 6 months ago. This is a nice device and definitely a move in the right direction.
    .
  • Eesh.  Not loving this at all.  Nokia seperated the wireless charging function into a multiple purchase decision so that it can get a little thinner?  Poor, poor choice.
  • So tell me again how the 920 is not a heavy and chunky phone...
  • Its not. Its just not as thin and light as this one. :P
  • The 920 is not a haavy and chunky phone. Got it now? :)
  • 1cm is not chunky at all. Any phone under 1cm is too thin.  heavy? A lot of people need to hit the gym. 180grams is NOT heavy. 150 and under is too light. 
  • The wireless charging cover looks nice. I'll stick with my 920.
  • Nice looking device and it's great to see the US carriers all getting a 920-based device so that there's a high-end option for the majority of cellphone users in the States. With any luck, it'll help Windows Phone catch on with more people. The 928 was enough to get me back to Windows Phone 8 from the iPhone 5.
  • This moving of microUSB needs to stop. Figure out where to place it and live with it so we can actually get some 3rd party accessories. There is a reason why the iPhone has so many accessories (I'm not talking about popularity).
  • This is where it was in the N9 and 800.
  • It does not realy matter these days, you can wireless charge the Nokia, you can connect wireless your device with BT to your speakers for music, you can use UPNP for video, so there is no need anymore to connect an phone with an wire to anything.
  • +1
  • Ever drove 4 hours on a row without charging?
    There isn't wireless charging while navigating in car....
     
  • Actually, Nokia does make one :P
  • There is now! ;D read a few more articles! Lol :)
  • I agree despite the comments on BT and wireless charging.  Keep it consistent so anyone considering making a peripheral knows they will reach a larger market.  WP has small enough marketshare as is, so 'options' like this do not help the platform imo.
  • So tempted to sell my 920 for this.
  • hmmm... pretty good but i like lumia 928 body shape so much than lumia 925
  • Agreed. 928 is so freakin sexy. 925 looks ok but I have mixed feelings with the aluminum/polycarbonate mix.
  • The looks are awful, any asian copycat would do better. I bet the design team behind this device was very different than N9.
  • At 8.5 mm this thing is crazy slim. That's the same as the GS3
  • Well, it's definitely not another generic smartphone design. It's oddly appealing...ehm? It will be intresting to see if this will prove to be an advantage or disadvantage when it comes to people making thier choice.
  • Initially I was disappointed that it is just an alternate version of the 920/928 but that's not neccessarily a bad thing as a) there's now a choice for people who like the Lumia 920 but didn't like the thickness/weight/colours/whatever and b) I'm not in a position to get a new phone till the end of the year when the next "true" flagship will be released.
     
    Still, it's a bit of a dull design. Very sober and business like and certainly not as fun as other Lumias. You say it feels like the Lumia 720, I wish it looked like the Lumia 720 too! The 720 body with the 925 innards would have really tempted me.
     
    I'm not thrilled about the position of the MicroUSB port on the 925/928 as that makes the phone useless when docked, I thought Microsoft had dictated ports needed to be bottom centre from WP8 onwards so they'd all work with the muriad "Android" docking stations around?
     
    Also, where the heck is Micro-SD support?! It's 2013, they shouldn't be cutting storage down to 16GB anymore, it's absolutely ludicrous to not at least keep 32GB and then give Vodafone a 64GB exclusive instead.
     
    I don't mind too much about them leaving out wireless charging but the covers they've designed are dreadfully distracting, that they are the only way to bring Lumia-style colour to the device is also disappointing.
     
    I think Nokia hyped this even far too much, while it is an international release and the Smart Camera and Hipsteramtic apps are nice, the phone is an incremental update to a six month old device, it's not available for another month, and the new apps are coming to those of us already using WP8 devices "at some point over summer".
     
    I don't understand the need for an event for this? All it did was generate hype and expectation that Nokia knew it couldn't match (unless they seriously thought what they showed us was genuinely amazing stuff) that will lead to disappointment that will lead to more bad press.
     
    The 925 looks like a great device but Nokia should have just announced it and released it like they did with the 928. There was no need to make such a show of something that doesn't really push them into new areas.
  • 920 = att, 928 = verizon, 925 = tmobile thats the reason period. elop said he was gonna do that and he did all that is left is sprint.
  • Sprint will get the 928 after 6 months and the WP9 models hit. Sprint is not the carrier to be on if you want Windows Phone, they publicy said that a while ago. Now they are paying for it...and so is their users..
  • I'm getting this phone with a red or yellow charging shell.
  • What i don't like about the 925:
    1. Top/Bottom bezel symmetry. I prefer the top bezel to be much smaller than the bottom one (as in the 920)
    2. Nokia logo centered. I'd prefer it if they moved the logo to the right (920) or even better below the screen!
  • 2. Nokia always had their logo top and centered (even on their very old phones). The only way it will change is when carriers pick it up. It would look out of place on the bottom.
  • There is one negative issue in Lumia 925; the mass memory is only 16 GB (until now)
  • Funny when you hear all these superlatives about great design and it isn't what your eyes are seeing. I would still rather buy a 920. :)
  • Need a little time to get used to the design, then I can judge if it's better looking than the old design language that Nokia were using.
    On a different note, I wish they had announced more software stuff today. Was kind of let down on that front :/
  • Is it me or does the charging back cover the speaker?
     
    Does any other 920 owner feel a little betrayed that Nokia released the 928 and 925 so soon after the 920?
  • I had the same thought...
    Maybe it's not the final cover?
  • the 928 and 925 are just carrier specific variants, think the 820, 821 and 822. ATT had a 6 month exclusive deal to keep the 920. That deal ran out and now you see everyone have essentially the "920".
    The same phone, minor tweaks. No reason to feel betrayed.
  • Why feel betrayed? Everyone knew the 920 exclusivity was a 6 month deal. It's great to see two more options head to more carriers. This is a brilliant move. The 925/928 aren't marketed to people who already own a 920, but rather are options for people who werent able to get the 920 due to carrier exclusivity. I love the new Lumia family members. I think it diversifies Nokia enough to turn some heads and make some android converts.
  • Cool! At least one person understands! 
  • I have a 920 and, while I like the design on the 925 and would love the updated camera tech, I am quite happy with what I have. I prefer the 920 design language just slightly and have no problem with the size/heft that some people complain about. Don't really see anything that would make me regret my purchase, but also think they both look like good phones.
    Were I to buy a new one today I would maybe go for the 925 over the 920, but am not sure. Really miss the colors of the 920 in the new designs, though. Love seeing cyan in Nokia's designs.
  • It's essentially the 920, but with an aluminium case, lighter and thinner, but without wireless charging and less storage. But I'm OK with the 920 just as it is now. I'm not feeling betrayed at all.
  • In a word, No. And frankly I'm still glad I left T-Mobile for AT&T.
    At least Verizon got Xenon, which I would have potentially viewed as an upgrade. I still wouldn't feel betrayed in the slightest, as it's good to see, and I damn well expect the platform to move forward. This just feels like a half step backward for T-Mobile. Definately better that not having a high end device, but I'd have been pissed if this was my only choice
  • With less onboard memory & no expansion slot I'd pass. I'm struggling with 32gb,...
  • There might be a possiblity of a solar charger back cover with this design. Then again, considering T-Mobile's life cycle of Windows Phones, not likely.
  • Looks kinda fugly. I was looking foward to this hoping it would at least be 32GB as my 8X is not cutting it at 16GB. There's no real reason to switch for me I'll have the same issues.
  • I'm guessing. You can't buy it from T-Mobile and use it on AT&T?
  • How about a 928 review?
  • Hmm, can't say I like the design on this one. The cover either. I will have to wait to switch to T-Mobile.
  • Take my money and run.
  • is it just me or it seems strange that the wireless charging shell does not have holes for the speaker on the back. with the shell clipped on, the speaker will be pretty much muffled wont it?
     
  • I am wondering the same thing. The entire shell seems to detract from the design of the phone, not compliment it.
  • I certainly hope the algorithm changes that were added to the camera make their way into the 920's camera. MY pictures are still pretty soft.
  • Why is the Micro USB on top? I thought Windows Phone team put out specifications to make the phones more consistent and require the USB port on the bottom.
  • Reckon the 928 smokes the 925
  • I do like the look of this one, very sleek, well done Nokia. However, I expected a lot more from Nokia this time round. Especially at such a big press event.
    Come on Nokia, you can do better than this. I think it is time for you to duct tape Microsoft's mouth closed, put them in your pocket and bring out the big guns! Do what you do best and give the world something NEW!
  • Have you graped the fact that this is Microsoft WIndows Phone yet... and that Microsoft is a software, not a hardware company... and that NOkia is an OEM for their phones like Dell is an OEM with their computer software?
    I mean... you do know this, right??  :-o
  • Based on photos and videos for both 925 and 928, I like the design and look of the 928 more.
  • people who was complaining about the weight will try to find something else to complain about :P
  • What's with the red office tile? Or is everything orange and the light is altering the colours to make them look red?
  • The new phones look nice. The takeaway for me is, for the love of God, kill carrier exclusivity its KILLING adoption rates of the platform. If Nokia had released the "92x series" line-up last fall I personally think it would have been huge. Devices of this quality, customized for different networks/needs/specs with complete carrier availability. Then again, I'm a sysadm by trade commenting in a public forum, with no marketing or business training, just opinions and ideas :)
  • I concur, especially with T-Mobile's track record of support for their WP devices. It's turned a number of us off of T-Mobile's phones and some have bought unlocked Rogers 920's just to avoid carrier exclusives.
  • This phone looks better then the HTC 8x yet people still hating this site as way too many haters then what it did when I joined back in 2011
  • Haters gonna hate, agreed there is a ton of negativity round these here parts.
  • Just got to know that the 925 has the world's first six-element smartphone camera and has light sensitivity up to ISO 3200.
  • Whatever nokia put out there will always be nice,now it's time for Microsoft to show what they have new of WINDOWSPHONE.. 920 feels and look more NOKIA
  • Wow, this is pretty ignorant... c'mon dude. 
  • its nice looking, im not a fan of the seperate design between the siding and the rear. also the fact you have to carry around a semi-case for the wireless charging...did i hear that correct? hmmm. maybe im just jealous b/c i recently got a 920?? lol
  • Will this work on AT&Ts LTE network?
  • That back plate covers the speaker.
  • Daniel, looks like the wireless-charging plate will cover up the speakers on the back of the 925? If I am interpreting the pictures correctly, that 'sounds' like it could be a problem.
  • I'm an Android user and don't come here often, but was intrigued by this phone.  The 920 didn't do it for me - too chunky looking and too heavy.  The 928 is nice, but I'll never go back to Verizon - great network, but prices are insane.  I'm a Straightalk user now, so any phone I purchase has to be GSM.
    The 925 is a solid looking device to me and one of first that would tempt me to give Windows phone a try.  One thing that has impressed me about 920 is the camera and this one seems to take that a step further.  As for storage - I've never owned a phone with more than 16 GB and I've never come close to filling it.  With multiple cloud storage options plus a NAS with 6TB of storage that I use as my own personal cloud and media server, I just don't keep that much media on my phone - all I need is enough for a plane ride.
    The 925 may not be a giant advance over the 920, but it still will appeal to a lot of people like me who didn't like the design of the 920.
  • This was a very refreshing comment to read. nice one and hope you make the switch and enjoy.
  • I have been a fan of Nokia's designs for as long as I can remember, specially the N9 and the lumia line from there on. I owned a lumia 920 for a couple of months and loved the design + colors. This is the first time Nokia is deviating from their design language in the lumia line of phones and im not very impressed. The choice of material is great, the front and the sides are just fine, but the back seems ugly in my opinion. 
  • Nice looking phone; but I don't like the speakers on the back. It muffles the sound and ringtone when its laying on its back. One of the reasons I love my 920 is that you get that great sound coming from the Bottom speakers. All in all people that want a lighter phone will definitely look at this one.
  • It is definitely different from the rest of the Lumia family, which is already different from the rest of the phone world. If I were on T-Mobile I'd be all kinds of on top of this device. No wireless charging is a bit of a bummer but we've been living without it for years, so it's not a huge deal.
  • True.  I like the look of this phone as well.
  • Definitely a bold design. It's different and when I switch to T-Mobile this will be the phone I pick up.
  • I hope i am not the only one who finds this piece of hardware SEXY AS... the Victoria's Secret Angels.
  • Agh....the extra cover is a NONO. Makes the concept of a wireless charger completely obsolete. There are wireless charging plates with required covers from a few years ago already. The point is to integrate it........... Who's proud they got their 920 from half a year ago. I KNOW I AM. It amazes me how fresh the 920 still feels after 6 months of use. I would prefer the 920 over the other "new" phones that came out this season too. Sure they have higher specs but they need it to run the crippled OS smoothly. The 920 is smooth as butter already and until today the Camera is still the best. 920!
     
  • I would have been impressed if it had wireless charging built-in (with the same form factor.) As it is, I'm a little non-plussed. Also, I hate that they got rid of the reflective chrome "camera bezel" found on all of their other 9-series phones.
  • It looks like there's a black version as well as a white one? (second picture) If so, like to see more of the black one, it looks really nice!
    White one not so much in my opinion, looks like Galaxy. Plasticy and flimsy..
  • The 920 is better. This does not impress me.
  • Oh man that cover for wireless charging looks like such an afterthought. Looks like a third party addon. here I thought I'd be selling my 920..
  • Why on earth the charging port on the top?!
    In my 920 is perfectly placed on the bottom center.
    I love the idea of the slimest / sexiest version anyway.
    As long as they announce a proper flagship in fall.
     
  • Well, the downgrade in onboard storage (16 gb instead of 32gb), and no microSD slot, is extremely dissapointing; ditto sticking with 1GB of RAM.   It's holding back game development for Windows Phone, as you can't have any higher end games that need more than 1GB of RAM to run well.
  • does Windows Phone Store have games that require more than 1GB of RAM??
  • Those snap on covers are danggg exquisite! Me like!
  • I like the snap on covers as well.  Having wireless charging doesn't really matter to me, but a cover like these definitely add a nice contrast to the aluminum sides :)
  • How about the Super Sensitive Touch Screen? The speaker?
  • I bought into wireless charging so my perception is that the 925 is the same size as the 920 once you add the wireless charging cover. Because of that, to me, the 920 is still a better buy.
  • When is EOS going to be announced! I think EOS is the next flagship of NOKIA?
  • Definitely looks nice, but it's also derivative. Nothing about it says Nokia. An HTC or Blackberry logo wouldn't look out of place on that device. I go back to the argument I've been making that it dillutes the brand, especially after Nokia has been releasing a bunch of phones based around the aesthetic of the Lumia 920. But sure, if I didn't already own the 920, I might be considering this.
  • Ugh, the Lumia 925 is freakin' gorgeous!
  • oh oh....
  • How is it different from 920 and 928? After 6 months of announcement of 920 the hardware and screen is still the same?
  • Beautiful, beautiful phone!
  • Color me confused about the lack of built in wireless charging.  I suppose that it's a feature that didn't take off quite as well as they thought (and it adds both thickness and weight.)
     
    It wouldn't be a deal killer certainly, but I've grown to love my wireless charging and not sure I want to have to buy another accessory to make it happen.
     
    On the flip side if that's the worst I can say about the phone, It's pretty dang good.
  • The problem with wireless charging is that there is no standard. It almost looked like Qi is about to become just that and then everything got messy again. So we'll have to wait again until one standard comes out on top.
  • If I was on T-Mobile, this phone is a no brainer purchase.  Matched with their new plans, this phone could sway many to make the switch.  The only thing that would hold me back is the storage.  I have the 822 on Verizon with 16GB as well, but it also have the micro-sd slot in which I have 64GB card.  Without the micro-SD, I wouldn't purchase a phone with less than 32GB internal.  Ideally, it would also have the micro-SD slot. 
    As for the wireless charging, at first I thought this phone should have this natively.  However, now that I see how the wireless charging back clicks on, I think it is genius.  It doubles as a protective case for the phone and gives it some color to boot.  I haven't bought the wireless back for my 822, because I want to have a protective case (wouldn't go without one on any smartphone).  I don't think the wireless charging would work if I have a case over it, I could be wrong.  But if there was a case like the one for the 925, I would get it.
  • Here is my problem, when people go to t-mobile they will see three aluminum phones, the iPhone 5, htc one, and this. When u look at the three of them this is the least impressive looking of the aluminum phones IMHO. If people want a wp on t-mo then I would tell them the 925 (because they have no competition) but if they want a good looking aluminum phone I would say the htc one. This seems like a small update to a large problem with sales in America. Idk its cool to see a flagship on multiple carriers but I waited for something big and exciting and well...people all over just feel underwhelmed :/
  • People? What people?? I'm actually on T-Mobile, and I don't feel "underwhelmed" one bit.
  • I-WANT
  • Even though I just got an HTC 8X, I will be trading up for a Lumia 925.  Finally T-Mobile gets some real attention.  My only question - why only a measly 16GB?  Why not 32GB or 64GB?  Or a microSD card slot?
  • Remember a few weeks ago there was a story out about how samsung was hiring people to basically troll message boards and talk bad about new devices that weren't samsung? I'm starting to think this is going on here... because as far as I can tell of the 150+ comments only one person has actually touched the damn thing. So STFU, maybe? This is typical of the mobile device community, and even more so the WP community... short sighted, and ignroant damn near across the board.
    There's only ONE mistake Nokia made here. That is not releasing the 920 to all carriers at the same time when the "buzz" was really going. But this is in essence what you are seeing here. T-Mobile, and Verizon's version of the 920 and I really don't see what the issue is.
    Those that say, "No thanks I'll keep my 920..." Well, good for you. If you're in the US you probably got it on ATT so you most likely don't have much choice.
    The rest of you seem like you're trying to earn an olympic medal in ignorance. This isn't a new device, it's the latest version of a previously released device on a carrier that I'm sure most of you don't have. So again, your options are limited. If you can't look at this and come to a conclusion along the lines of, "Great! Another WP 'flagship device' on another carrier which makes it available to more people which is always great for WP as a whole", then you just don't get it. Your short-sighted tunnel vision and ignorance is annoying.
    What's truly amazing though is that this is also another indication that Nokia, and Microsoft are in fact listening to people, and reviews. Those weak armed weenies who feel the 920 is too big and heavy for their delicate little hands that are only good for typing scathing "reviews" of mobile devices now have a lighter, thinner 920. What's your complaint now?
  • For me it the 16GB storage memory limit.  I don't think it a true 92X unless 925 has 32GB too.  But the mistake is not on Nokia but on T-Mobile selecting the 16GB version for the U.S. while Vodaphone was smart and grab the 32GB. 
  • 1). It's Nokia's device. hey can call it whatever they want. If they say it's a slightly upgarded 920 then it is.
    2). We don't know 100% yet that TMo won't get the 32G version. We're all speculating, but they haven't said anything yet.
  • Well, Vodafone came out and did it right with an nice PR presentation.  T-Mobile seems like they could care less is the way I view it from their "silence".  If you follow the iPhone5 they have 16GB models in stores.  Nothing going change T-Mobile management thinking - they are the cheapstake place with the low grade smartphones.  They figure that their customer cannot afford anything but the bottom level models and that their strategy it seems.  But if you look at how the smartphone is now a status symbol; people will ask how much storage they have in their smartphone like how big is your engine is it turbo/supercharge on a high end car.   Many people know that if you buy a BMW; they will look at the model - leather seats?, type of trim; audio system, engine type, wheel choice, etc...  Same with smartphones now! 
  • Daniel, the world is full of pricks, and they like to spew, ignore them, I and many others appreciate your reporting. Waiting for more on the 928...
  • It's pretty.  I like the alumunium edge and the AMOLED screen that goes all the way to the edge.   I too am disappointed that there is no microSD card slot.   Sixteen GB is great for applications, that means I would not have the problem that I do with my 810.   However I have sixteen GB of music on a SD card on my 810.    Not having more than 16 gb is very important, especially if this is supposedly a flaship device.   
    I note that the speaker grill on the back is covered by the wireless charging shell. 
    It's a pretty phone, but does have weaknesses.  I also do not like that it seems to be a carrier exclusive here in the states.   I've been ever so impressed by T-Mobile's handing of the 810 (and the 710 before that), that I view a carrier exclusive on T-Mobile with a certain jaundice.  
  • Ok, Yea, 16gb is a joke in my eyes and the lack of a SD card with 16gb is just a WTF thing but, WTF is with the power connector on the top ? The Lumia 928 is the same thing and I think this is a poor design aspect.
     
    Am I the only one in the world who charges his phone when driving and a call comes in ?  Putting a charge port on the top is a joke for this use.
     
    I have a long USB cable in my car so I can talk on the phone while charging, If needed. With it on top just gets in the way and I need a longer cable...
  • Investors were expecting something more that this. After several days of advancing the stock in the US is taking a dive. What happened to the high pixel camera?
  • Which investors? Because I have a feeling most of their *real* investors knew about this a while ago.
  • If Apple has launched this then the same investors would be happy..
     
    As far as i know, they have released this and made sure 920 is also being sold.. if 925 is awesome, then 920 is going to tank.
     
     
  • The run up to the annoucement was done by traders. Do you know the difference between traders and investors? Like someone has said, real Nokia investors already knew what this announcement was about.
  • At this time last year, people said "what kind of phone is that?. At the same time this year, people now say "oh, that's a windows phone right?". At this time next year, people will say " Did you know our windows phones could do this?". The brand is expanding. I don't suffer from "fanboism". Seriously, the only reason why I even have a windows phone is because of the Zune pass I had that let me keep 10 tracks a month, which was very amazing might I add, that has now expired. Its not the tech enthusiasts but the tech chance taker that manufacturers are trying to appeal too. Everybody will not be pleased but many will be happy with what the manufacturers are offering.
  • Meh if i would choose now i would still go for 920. Whats that clip? Make it go all round the edges instead of 4 points. Looks like playskool. And 16gb of which i suppose only 12gb will be free isnt enough. Maybe in other country dataplans are cheap yet in belgium they still cost a lot.
     
     
  • This looks like the ugliest lumia phone I think I have ever seen... the nasty edges, the extruding camera, and the back which looks like they got too cheap to go all aluminum, so they slapped on a piece of plastic. The 920 and 928 look amazing but this... come on nokia...
  • Yep. It's not a Lumia anymore.
  • Then what do you consider the Lumia 810??
  • Woke up today expecting something great. In fact, all we got was a rebadged 920 to keep the verge's little editor hands happy.
    Thanks for nothing Nokia. On the bright side, my 920 will be in use longer.
  • actually this colour combination with wireless charging cover is pretty awesome.
  • besides that i think the design of the 920 is much better
  • Did anyone noticed if you put on the wireless charger the speaker are covered?
  • Huge fan of the original Lumia language (800/920).
    Pretty disappointed in this. They abandoned the extrusion form factor and iconic front view.
    *Maybe* if they eliminated the huge black stripes, had colored versions, etc.
    Is that case supposed to match the phone design at all? Because it doesn't....
  • I've been on TMo forever and have been waiting very patiently for this Nokia halo phone...I'm looking to upgarde my perfectly fine 2 y/o HD7 because I use my camera phone more often than my stand alone camera and I want the excellent camera on this Phone!!! Also Daniel, when will the commenting system be updated so that the most recent comment is posted first (Livefyre or Disqus)...would be great to see you folks implement one of these modern commenting tools...thanks!!!  
  • Eh, not really interested. The Xenon flash may or may not be a notable upgrade to the camera in real world situations, but otherwise I think the phone's design got a little worse. 
      Less color. I still love the 920 and 900s unibody polycarbonate body in it's technicolor glory. The 925 is bland and the case isn't a good substitute for that. Durability. The 920 is basically bulletproof. The thickness and shape of that unibody case make it the perfect all-around real world phone, I barely flinch when I knock it off a table, miss my pocket and drop it or put it into a pocket with coins/keys by mistake. The 925 seems like it's going to be much more fragile.  The case. I suppose Nokia is throwing a bone to people who love color with the case, but functionally it's a bit of a head scratcher. Nokia basically put the Qi charging tech on the outside in order to get a thinner, lighter device. Size and weight were never big complains for me, so this case makes the phone less attractive, less durable and creates more spots for failure.   
    I'd like a thinner, lighter version of the 920 at some point but I don't want it to be less durable in exchange. And I'd hate to be walking around with my Nokia is a case like iPhone users do. 
  • It's a cool-looking design, and I would certainly appreciate the lower weight and slimmer style.  I was hoping that this phone would convince me to move on from my Symbian N8 to a Nokia Windows Phone.  Unfortunately, I'm disappointed in the phone's lack of a xenon flash and a micro SD memory expansion.  Maybe the upcoming EOS will have the complete package.  As for me, this new 925 is a step forward in design beauty, but a step backwards in functionality.  Maybe I'll change my mind on the camera after we see a comparison between the 925, 920, 808 Pure View, etc.
    Frankly, I'm surprised by the lack of the xenon flash. With the 928 (Verizon only) having xenon, and with Sony and Samsung rumored to be introducing xenon flash phones, I'm surprised that Nokia chose to omit a xenon flash on the 925.
  • I was interested in this for shooting video but now with only 16GB not so much. Best case how much video can you shoot before storage fills up?
  • I like the style better than the 920, but this is just a Verizon 928 with an aluminum body and less features. Same display, camera, no Xenon flash and no wireless charging built in like the Verizon model. I certainly think it is sexier looking but I would definitely take the 928 over this. I don't believe that the 925 will be a game-changer for Nokia. They had an opportunity to really wow and they didn't.
  • Not sure the 928 has the 6-elements lens. Otherwise, I agree with you, I would have expected a bit more. And I'm torn by the looks of the 925. Having rounded corners on the sides, I'm sure the 925 feels better in hand than the 928, though.
  • This is nice but the main question is: have they fixed the problem with it staying dark when you pull it away from ear?
  • So many pple complaining about 16 GB storage. All the Iphone guys at my office have 16 GB iphone and i dont see any one complaining.. whats up with that?
  • 16GB is pretty dissappointing. There's always a "but" with T-Mobile Lumia devices. All the other carriers seem to be able to have their cake and eat it too. I originally chose an 8x over the 810 becuase I chose the higher resolution over phone storage and exclusive apps. That was mistake considering how quickly I maxed out that storage. Now finally a comparable "high-end" Lumia device arrives on Big Magenta and "surprise!" the storage is gimped. You just can't win on this carrier.
  • To the trolls show some fkn respect to the editor who has taken the time to provide this info, pics and the wpc app in general. Thanks for all your coverage on this Nokia event Daniel, some of us appreciate it
  • I'm not digging it. First, it looks a lot like any other Android device out there, specially HTC ones... it's almost the same guts as 920, no 2GB of RAM and 16GB of storage, is enough to go around, but not enough to enjoy the device fully, specially with that Camera... I also don't like the fact that you need a separate snap case to wirelessly charge it, was it so hard to have it built-in?... and they missed the point of the display, switching from Puremotion+ to AMOLED, and it's not even 1080p as the newest competitors. Deal breaker for me.
    As a 920 user I don't see reason at all to upgrade to it. I believe this is another "flavor" of 920 just for the users out there that don't like some 920 aspects. I do hope the 930 will be a better device. I am in love with Windows Phone, specially in Nokia devices. 
  • Dude, GDR3 will enable 1080p screen along with some other features (look it up) hence why the recent variants don't have 1080p screens. The whole point switching from IPS was battery life apparently and also the new screen is non-pentile.
  • It will at some point, I guess for the 930 probably. And you are right about the screen, being AMOLED reduces battery consumption, and I read it is also has PureMotion HD+ and clear black, which is great. In any case I still like the 920 better, for some specs and design.
  • "The only thing wrong with the Lumia 920 is that it weighs 189g. That's so huge."
    Six months later...
    "The Lumia 928 which weighs just 139g but is otherwise very much like the 920... is awful."
    Wait, what... ?
  • Wow it's a bitch fest on WPCentral today. Daniel, thank you for make WPCentral as awesome as it is. Please ignore those who just cannot be pleased no matter what.
  • Lets see. It's basically a 920 with the same lackluster, blurry camera. The official Nokia sample photos are just as blurry as any Lumia 920. That extra lens that the Nokia reps kept on saying would add some sharpness to the image seems to be a load of bull. Now for the new body. It looks really chintzy. Almost like a Chinese knockoff. The back cover looks like it just pops into place and you can pull it out since it bulges up so much, especially at the sides. Not seamless with the metal frame at all. Like the back is swelling. Coupled with the lip the camera makes, the whole back is pretty hideous. Hunchback or tumorous. The metal frame is not elegant AT ALL. It's too round and fat. It's like a snap-on aftermarket aluminum bumper. Maybe the real frame is hiding underneath? Those notches near the corners are gaudy. I wasn't expecting this ugly monstrosity when I heard Nokia was going back to its metal roots. Have you seen the HTC One? It is thin and seamless and doesn't look like a cancerous growth. It also has metal on the back. Or maybe the Lenovo K900? Sexy metal candybar square? Nokia didn't even try to make the 925 a metal phone. A metal frame requires no engineering talent at all. And again, that back plastic does not look durable, or even flat and flush. It's bulging up and ready to pop out a little Elop. Oh and did they say only 16GB for most markets? And still no microSO? It's 2013. If you can't bother to put a microSD slot in it, at least have 32GB. Those 1080p videos and 8MP pictures and fancy Nokia Maps don't store themselves. Even the Lumia 920 had 32GB. Downgrade much? I'm still holding out for the EOS Pureview. Hopefully it will have a REAL metal body and not this cheesy half-assed implementation. And it won't look like a hacked together frankenstein. But they better release it soon. Because Sony ain't joking around this year with their smartphone lineup. And they are gonna release a Cybershot branded Honami that is far more tangible a smartphone than the so far vaporware of a product the EOS has been. Samsung is also experimenting, first with the Galaxy Camera, now the Galaxy Zoom. They will probably have a camera-centric flagship eventually as well. And Sony and Samsung can reliably push products out, especially when they are already leaked, while Nokia is frozen in place with iterations of the same tired product while the thing that everyone is waiting for is stuck in a Finnish imagination land.
  • I will judge the camera after trying it myself. If it fixes the blurry pictures in daylight, then Nokia has a good product.
  • Looks good.  I'm wondering when it will come to Canada.
  • I'm not sure I understand why people are hurling insults at those people who aren't totally satified with Nokia's efforts with this new Lumia 925. Not every person interested in this phone passed on the 920 because it was too heavy. Many of them passed on it simply because it was unavailable to them on their network. Why is it so hard to believe that there are people who wanted the improved camera and the space?
  • To me it just looks unfinished. Like they got half way through production, halted it, then said good enough forget the paint job. I know its supposed to be in the interest of a certain market looking for something a little less vibrant and a little more unassuming. But it just looks plain and not fun whatsover.  The black is oddly the most exciting one in the bunch this time around to me at least.
  • Extreme dislike this time. What is wrong this time: usb on upper side, speaker az the back (nicely closed by cover) , popping out camera (in 2-3 months it will be really scratched) , I don't like dark stripes on aluminium an the plastic back panel. Why not ceramic buttons?!
    I can accept it only if it wil remain just for T-mobile and noone else,  and if it is not a new flagship as 920. What I like about it is the size and the covers.
  • I don't care what you fans think..this is one ugly phone. None of my friends like it. What's with the sharp corners? It's disgusting
  • Sharp?? are you refering to the 928? if you are refering to the 925 you really need glasses :).
  • What is the reason for giving the 925 6 lenses that improve daylight photos while the 928 could have benefited from this upgrade also? It is not possible to truly test this now but doesn't this mean in theory the 925 will have a better camera?
  • I got the 920, but would have chosen the 925. I like the shape of the device. wireless stuff I never use. 32GB is the least I want so keep working on more storage options in the top because the design bit you got right Nokia.
  • likewise, if it had 32gb I'd be getting 1 on release day don't get me wrong the L920 is an awesome phone but this looks way better imo which I bought out right from clove uk - to use on O2 uk. I'd be interested to see the performance of the aluminum sides acting as an antenna and how the audio channel in the wireless cover performs aswell. Never the less this is huge for T Mo Us customers at least they now have a top tier wp8 phone to buy - and a good looking one to boot (I don't see T Mo US discontinuing this one anytime soon).
  • I find it funny that they could not keep with the iPhone5 storage options in the top line Nokia phones.  16, 32, 64GB.   And then T-Mobile for some crazy notion thought that getting an exclusivity on the 16GB version was a wild win for them.   So for the lousy 6 month exclusivity; nobody can get 925 in the U.S. but from T-Mobile but they limited to the cheapest version hoping to get the most bang (users) for the least amount of inventory!  They would not have to buy both 16 and 32 versions from Nokia.
     
    LOL!  No wonder they are in last place among major U.S. carriers.  Just plain stupid!
  • hey wonderful...put on the wireless charging cover and it will also cover your speakers. fail.
  • it is already handled in the cover. there is a big opening for the speakers.
  • it's still covering the speakers. sound isn't water and you don't channel it by creating a 90-degree uhh...channel. and this isn't some $1,000 Bose system...this is a cheap phone speaker that isn't going to have the power to drive sounds though an object.
  • I was so excited that T-Mobile was finally getting a Nokia device as my current obligation to Verizon is almost up. However the notion of improving the camera while decreasing storage is asinine.  
    Nevermind that moving the microUSB to the top of device provides an easy entry-way for moisture in wet weather. I suppose as it is I will be buying a used 920 to unlock and use on T-Mobile instead of Nokia getting my money. 
     
     
  • (I'll preface my comments by saying I am getting a Nokia 928 as soon as it is released.)
    While I think Nokia's hardware and design are far superior than what I've seen come out of HTC (even considering the HTC One), I would hope that Nokia takes a hard look at HTC to ensure they do not fall into the same pitfalls--putting out carrier variants of the same phone iteration, i.e. HTC One, One XL, One XT, etc. I can easily see this being the first of many Nokia Lumia 9xx varients that in the end dilute the brand and cause confusion within the WP8 community. It's one thing to change bits and pieces, no flash, different flash, different camera, different memory etc, but to have a redesign (and quite dramatic one going from a polycarb shell to an aluminum one) and only release this for a carrier (I'll say as a disclaimer I am currently a Tmo customer and thinks an aluminum shelled Nokia Lumia 9xx exclusive to Tmo sucks the big one) suggests to me that Nokia may be trying to do what HTC did (and failed at) to try and gain further marketshare. What Nokia should do is to have carriers get the aluminum shell design and put the polycarb online as an unlocked version that can be bought outside of a contract. Gives some incentive to those who don't mind getting something through a carrier subsidy, but also allows the brand to proliferate users who just want the device and not the carrier. Just my 2 cents.