AT&T plans to launch the Nokia Lumia 900, its first Windows 7.5 device, in the coming months, as the company bets big on Microsoft to expandits market share.
The Lumia 900, which runs on Windows Phone Mango, boasts a 4.3-inch screen, 512-megabytes of RAM, 16-gigabytes of internal memory plus Microsoft's SkyDrive cloud storage, as well as a front-facing 8-megapixel camera with dual LED flash.
The Finnish phone maker is banking on the Lumia 900 to help fuel sales in the competitive U.S. smartphone market, dominated by Apple and Google. Nokia is one of the top phone makers in the world by volume, but has largely relied on sales of lower-end feature phones.
Nokia's focus shifted with the hiring of CEO Stephen Elop in 2010 and coinciding with skyrocketing industry smartphone sales. To succeed in the U.S. market, the company realizes it needs a higher-end device offering a fast LTE network to lure consumers.
AT&T will carry the new device exclusively, and the three companies are reportedly channeling a joint $100 million into an advertising blitz to propel the Lumia 900 to success.
Even with strong sales of the Lumia 800 in Europe and a major marketing push, Nokia faces challenges building its brand in the U.S.
The few existing Windows phones haven't garnered much attention from critics or consumers, and the software giant's app market still lags behind Apple's iOS and Google's Android OS as the company struggles to find new developers.
The Lumia line and other Windows phones also faced criticism for taking too long to hit the market, offering a solid alternative to Apple's iPhone but nothing new or unique. Further, consumers are often reluctant to switch operating systems they've become comfortable using.
Still, if any company has the potential to carve a stake in Apple and Google's territory, it's Microsoft. Nokia and the software giant plan to target first-time smartphone buyers accustomed to using Windows on their PCs, and a demographic of longtime Windows users could prove a solid new customer base.
The Lumia 900 will debut in the U.S. sometime around mid-March, and the world will be watching to see if Nokia can become a household name once again.
