Nokia's Jonne Harju talks about the design of the Lumia 930

If you’ve been itching to learn more about the recently-announced Lumia 930, Nokia’s Conversations blog has posted an interview with one of their chief designers, Jonne Harju, on the device. Harju notes that the lack of a camera bump eases the way for wireless charging. The outer aluminum frame is a single solid piece, which keeps down manufacturing costs. Harju emphasized the human qualities of the design, namely the shared focus on simplicity in both Nokia and Microsoft designs.

As for the future, Harju’s looking forward to designing around changing expectations in biometrics, ergonomics, and usage habits (how often do we want to get notifications, anyway?). Be sure to read the full interview to get a peek behind the scenes at the creation of the Lumia 930.

Source: Conversations

Simon Sage
95 Comments
  • Lumia 930 or 1520?
  • I have a Lumia 920, and of those two choices for upgrade I would pick the 1520.
  • Yeah I'm not a huge fan of the 930 either, I was hoping to see a 5 inch version of the 1520 (possibly in cyan) :-/
  • The new lumia 930 is ugly..
  • So is the Lumia 930 not coming to America? Can someone please answer this question.
  • It will eventually, it might just be that Vierzon got a 6-month exclusivity window for it (in the form of the Icon) like AT&T did for the 920. Regardless, this device isn't due out ANYWHERE until the summer.
  • And when that exclusive expired who from the US picked up on it?
  • Technically, no one.  But as soon as the 920 had been out six months, Nokia released the 925 and 928.  So perhaps we'll see the same thing here, with Icon variants coming to other U.S. carriers in the September/October time-frame.  Much better, of course, would be a new design with noteable new features.
  • Wish they would make a phablet variant available for T-Mobile
  • Can international versions be ordered to be shipped to the US?
  • Yes, but things like G4 and LTE do not typically work on US networks with 'world phones'. I debated a long time about ordering an international 1520 for the sake of integrated wireless charging (ATT version does not have this), but then my house decided to break stuff and there went my hopes of the 1520 for a while.
    I really hope that ATT does not gimp the 930 like they did the 1520... the whole situation is screwed up.
  • How does it feel?
  • Not anytime soon :/
  • I thinking it will be offer to the other carries by September to get set for the upcoming holiday buying season.  Depending on how it is promoted; I may just go with Nokia again but it has to be equal to the offerring of Apple and Google Nexus smartphones or I going to buy probably an iPhone.   I just do not like the limited LTE bands that Nokia phones have becuase of the locked exclusivity branding.   iPhone and Nexus have no carrier branding on the phone and offer all the LTE brands on their phones.  That means you can use your phone on every carry in U.S. or Canada - and it unlock to start out with too!  Too many advantages to me vs. Nokia exclusivity that is killing sales from existing Nokia owners. 
  • That's about your hand size, I'd guess. I don't have massive hands, so I'd take the 930, given that the rest of the part are the same (SoC, camera, display tech). Plus, I think I'd want the orange 930 over a black 1520. If the colors were the same, I'd maybe go 1520, but if you don't watch stuff on my phone, the 920 would fit most folks' hands better.
  • Neither, because even though I have big hands, I still prefer something below 4 inches. These screen sizes are just ridiculously stupid. And the people who want them are talking over the majority that abhor them
  • What Windows Phones are under 4 inches on WP8?
  • The 620.
  • Lack of micro SD and battery life are my concerns about the 930, its a shame, with a 3A and micro SD would be a no brainer update from my l920, I'll have to wait more
  • AT&T customers don't have to pick. Will MS ever drop the carrier exclusivity in US?  Probably not, since Steve Elop is still there.  This self-imposed restriction does nothing but hurting US sales.  It is in effect preventing customers to buy their choiced Lumia model if they are on the different carrier.  AT&T customers can't buy Lumia Icon or L930 while the Verizon customers can't buy L1020 or L1520.  Spring customers can't get any Lumia.  It is one of main reasons the US sales can't get anywhere.  If it is not that cheap L520 sold on price, Lumia sales would be a disaster in US.  The L930 design is great.  So what?   We can't get it here at AT&T. Please MS and Steve Elop, just make your products available to all customers on all carriers.  Is it so hard?  Marketing 101.
  • Here here...and bring the 930 to tmobile also...let us actually buy the devices....
  • You succeed in Marketing 101, but fail in Business 101. Nokia is not chock full of idiots. They are playing the hand they are dealt. Do you seriously think they wouldn't offer the same device to the whole world if they could? Let me put it another way. In the USA Nokia is beholden to the carriers. Without the carriers they sell zero phones. So, they have to make the carriers happy. What makes carriers happy? Exclusive devices.
  • Have they fixed the 1520 low light photos issue....if not then 930
  • Neither, I'll take the Ativ SE, with real functions such as expandable storage and battery replacement. Function trumps form with Windows Phone.
  • 1520 of course more battery power and SD card support
  • No micro-SD, still makes this useless.....
  • Your comment is useless.
  • Your response has been deemed irrelevant...
  • Agreed, not having a microSD card is a deal breaker for me. Hopefully they have one that does.
  • Agreed you think Nokia would of learned by now the people want a SD slot
  • If he ain't announcing SD card support, I don't wanna hear it We need a non-phablet flagship that doesn't screw us on storage!
  • But didn't Elop said last day that it supports SD card?
  • Meh, GSMArena says it won't have an SD slot (http://www.gsmarena.com/nokia_lumia_930-6227.php). But seriously you'll get 32 gigabytes of internal, it ain't that bad. You'll have plenty of room.
  • When you're music library is 45 GB, there's not plenty of room. Granted, I survive without issue on my 920's storage, but I'd still like to see the slot added so I never have to debate which music I want to bring.
  • Yeah, agreed. I don't listen to so much music, that's why it seemed pretty much space to me. But indeed I've got no idea why it hurts them to add an SD slot.
  • ^This......
  • Im the same dude that's why i went for the 1520 extra 64 gb storage yes please !
  • Why on earth isn't there SD card support on the 930?
    The 1520, 32 GB and up to 128 GB extra with SD card. Brilliant :D
    New 5" flagship 930, 32 GB and... NOTHING❕
    Talk about having the opportunity to hit bulls eye and then totally miss not even the target, but also the entire continent that the target was placed on.
    MS/Nokia, if you have market analyst's, fire them...
  • Did he say if it is AMOLOD and supports Glance?
  • Yeah, what about glance?
  • Best design on a Lumia so far, imo
  • And I agree.
  • Agreed!
  • ...and disagree
  • And don't agree.
  • I agree. The 930/Icon design is highly underrated. I'd pick it over the 1520 anyday! I bet you, if the iPhone 6 came out looking like the 930, they would call it a game changer. Smh
  • I agree. I love my Icon in white, although that orange would be a nice option (or cyan...).
  • If you ignore just about every other Lumia that came out before it then yeah.  Best design ever.  Better than the 822 at least.
  • Isn't this exactly the same as the Icon?
  • Yep. Oh wait it has color ;)
  • I think the Icon would've, if it wasn't on Verizon.
  • Yes, just different colors.
  • Yeah, that's what I think a lot of people aren't getting. It's the global version.
  • What's funny is that there is sooo much hype from Nokia about 930; guessing that its a global phone that they hardly mention the Icon. It's like the Icon is the evil stepchild and Nokia want's nothing to do with it....
  • Can't stand the thick boxy look. 925 has the best body design IMO.
  • True that! eccept I would love to have one in polycarbanate, I hate that the aluminium changes color if it's damaged
    a 1520 in 925 size would be perfect for me ;)
  • Boxy? Sure. Thick? Not so quick to agree with you on that one sir.
  • Nokia doesn't do slim
  • It's nice but not terribly bold or original in my opinion.  Looks an Apple-Nokia collaboration, with Apple supplying the metal band and nokia throwing on the polycarbonate back.  It looks good but I was hoping for something more unique.
  • Removed Verizon logo and added color
  • I want a slightly trimmed down version of the 1520 on Verizon. I saw the icon in store and its too chunky for me. They just need to trim the bezel of the 1520. Keep the screen size.
  • Behind the scenes of the making of the 930. |Ok guys I got it. Lets take the icon add some color and say we put everything we had into designing this thing.| Yea that seems about right for what happened.
  • That sounds about right!
  • Agreed. Considering they are the same, I wonder if there is any greater chance of Verizon offering colored varients of the Icon in the future if they see strong sales of the 930 in color.   Since they presumeably use the exact same part it's not like they would need to do a separate production run to make the colored back plates for the Icon unless they opted for different colors than what the 930 has.
  • Look, don't get me wrong. This 930 design is OK. But it's nowgere as iconic as the 800/920 or the 720/1520 or the 925.
  • How would those be iconic when this design language been around since the N9 and E7?
  • Which are also very Iconic devices. Ironically the Icon/930 is anything except for Iconic... it is just ugly. A nice phone to be sure... but still ugly.
  • I really like the design, hopefully doesn't suffer screen burn like my L920 (and others...)....
  • Squash these specs into a 925 and take my money :)
  • They really need to get back Marko Ahtisaari or someone as equally talented to design future Nokia devices.  I have a lot of respect for Jonne Harju but the 930 is a generic and uninspired brick compared to the 620, 720, 820, 920, etc.  Those devices actually look and feel designed for the hand and the choice of colors was a lot more pleasing to look at (cyan, red, yellow).
  • I'll wait for the "830": no more than 4.5 inches and micro-SD support.
  • Exactly I am curious about the 830 or what ever will be the one just under this 930.. maybe for Christmas though.. who knows
  • I was expecting more from Nokia in the way of new devices. I think 8.1 has the ability to jumpstart WP and Nokia has no flagship devices ready for att or t mobile? That is a huge fail and missed opportunity. Just when they could finally have an OS that could generate interest they have no devices to launch in the US. I will update my 925, but I guess I will not be getting a new WP 8.1 for awhile...
  • I quite agree with you, just compare the Lumia design of Lumia 920 and 925 with 930 and 1520; the difference is much! 920 is a beauty, 925 is sexy. What's really with Nokia and thick bezels? But the beautiful display of 1520 is captivating....the screen power is its strength
  • Shame about those hump comments. Really wanted a 1030 with Qi.
  • I would've gotten a 930, if it had microSD and/or more internal storage, and if it came to AT&T.
  • +930
  • Exactly!
  • Lack of the expandable storage isn't a deal breaker for me. The price in Croatia might be, though, when it eventually becomes available. New devices are usually up to 30% more expensive than elsewhere (US, UK...).
  • Glance support?
  • Design is awful
  • The same design like 520
  • It will get raped and watered down once it comes to at&t, because at&t is known for Altering technology & torturing their windows phones. They did it to the 1520 and they can do it to the Lumia 930. Having a handicapped Lumia Icon doesn't seem like an upgrade this year. I'll stick with my 920 and wait for the WP8.1 update.
  • I upgrade this November, hopefully at&t doesn't strip down any new phones Nokia releases by then
  • I would be interested to know why this beast of a phone doesn't have an sd card. Completely bonkers. My 1020 - i make the choice between raw photos and movies/music, and installing apps. And this saviour beast of a device poses the same problem. What about app2sd functionality and all that. Not everyone wants to plant their goods in the cloud. The other flagship devices can manage the sd why not this? Not that they need to copy the competitors feature sets but this is something actually useful! And yeah, the iphone doesn't have it - that's why i keep my work provisioned 5s as a spare. This was an opportunity missed. I hope the goldfinger device or the 1020 successor addresses this issue. There is no issue to be so stingy with memory - or offer an upgrade. Between this and the fact that the 630/635 miss tricks with front facing cameras (how do we skype?) no flash, smaller batteries - the 625 is a better phone!!!! I get the feeling these were rolled out as they had to have something to show off but there will be much better devices coming later. I hope.
  • So far, the only design I'm considering is one like the Icon. If the 930 matches it on AT&T, I'm all over it.
  • Does Lumia 930 has #glance?? or like icon it lacks
  • Green? Orange? Both colors suck.
  • If its not 5"... I don't care
  • Does anyone ells have had problems with the aluminium and polycarbonate body on the 925? The polycarbonate back is getting lose in the corners on my phone, so I fear that the 930 could develope the same problem over time. But I guess in my oppinion Nokia did choose function over design, by adding the wireless charging and therefore adding the bulge on the back, which I could really live without. If I could chose I would live without the wireless charging, if that ment it could be all aluminum or all polycarbonate and getting a more sleek design like the 925. And I am also worried about whether the battery can keep up with the HD resolution and processor.
  • The 930 would be prefect for me if they: 1. Sold a variant that is unlocked and unbranded with all the LTE bands in it 2. Have a micro SD slot included in it. But they will do not it because the U.S. carriers do not like that specs.  The SD slot makes the U.S. carriers uneasy.  Only ones that have it are HTC, LG and Samsung on their high end phones like the One and S5!    
  • The most disturbing thing about this by far is the fact that Mr. Elop wears a jacket with jeans, please stop.
  • I miss the silver line below the camera. And I really hate phones with camera bumps
  • I really hope they decide to bring this device to Canada and not as a carrier exclusive device.
    Been holding out on replacing my 4 year old iPhone 4 and the Lumia 930 is just the phone I've been waiting for. :)