The Nokia Lumia Icon (originally known as the Lumia 929[2]) is a high-end smartphone developed by Nokia that runs Microsoft's Windows Phone 8 operating system. It was announced on February 12, 2014, and released on Verizon Wireless in the United States on February 20, 2014.[3][4] It is currently exclusive to Verizon and the U.S. market; its international counterpart is the Nokia Lumia 930.

Nokia Lumia Icon
BrandNokia
ManufacturerNokia
TypeTouchscreen smartphone
SeriesLumia
First releasedFebruary 20, 2014[1]
PredecessorNokia Lumia 928
SuccessorMicrosoft Lumia 950
RelatedNokia Lumia 930
Nokia Lumia 1520[1]
Compatible networks2.5G GSM/GPRS/EDGE – 850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz

2.5G CDMA 1xRTT/1x-Advanced - 800, 1900 MHz
3G UMTS/DC-HSPA – 850, 900, 1900, 2100 MHz
3G CDMA Ev-DO Rev. A - 800, 1900 MHz

4G LTE Rel. 8 (UE Cat 3) – 700, 800, 900, 1800, 2100, 2600 MHz
Form factorBar
Dimensions137 mm (5.4 in) H
71 mm (2.8 in) W
9.8 mm (0.39 in) D
Weight167 g (5.9 oz)
Operating systemWindows Phone 8
upgradable to Windows 10 Mobile
System-on-chipQualcomm Snapdragon 800 (MSM8974)
CPU2.2 GHz quad-core Krait
GPUQualcomm Adreno 330
MemoryGB LPDDR3
Storage32 GB internal flash and 7 GB free in SkyDrive
BatteryIntegrated 2420 mAh Li-poly battery with Qi wireless charging
Rear camera20 MP PureView sensor, Carl Zeiss Tessar lens and dual LED flash, wide-angle, f/2.4, 26 mm true 16:9 optics, 1/2.5-inch sensor, OIS,
2160p video capture @ 30 fps with LED for video
Front camera1.2 MP wide angle, f/2.4,
720p video capture @ 30fps
Display5 in (130 mm) FHD AMOLED, 1920 x 1080 pixels at 441 ppi, 16:9 aspect ratio, 24-bit color depth, 16M colors, 60 Hz refresh rate, ClearBlack display, Sunlight Readability Enhancement (SRE), High Brightness Mode (HBM), Super-sensitive capacitive touch enables interacting with the display with gloves and long fingernails, 2.5D Corning Gorilla Glass 3
Connectivity
Data inputsMulti-touch capacitive touchscreen, Gyroscope, Magnetometer, proximity sensor, 3D-Accelerometer
OtherTalk time: Up to 16.4 hours
Standby time: Up to 432 hours (approx. 18 days)
WebsiteNokia Lumia Icon

On February 11, 2015, Verizon released the Windows Phone 8.1 operating system and Lumia Denim firmware update for the Icon.[5][6] On June 23, 2016, Verizon released the Windows 10 Mobile operating system update for the Icon.[7][8]

Primary features

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The primary features of the Lumia Icon are:[9]

Availability

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The phone was released for sale exclusively through Verizon in the United States for $199.99 with a 2-year contract or $549.99 with no contract.[12] The Lumia Icon has almost identical internal specifications to the larger Nokia Lumia 1520 with the primary difference being that it has a smaller screen of 5 inches compared with the Lumia 1520's 6 inches.[1]

The Nokia Lumia 930, released in April 2014, is nearly identical to the Icon in both appearance and specifications. However, the 930 uses GSM radios and comes with Windows Phone 8.1 and the Cyan firmware, and is the worldwide variant of the Icon. While the 930 has since been updated to Denim (which contains the Windows Phone 8.1 Update), Verizon previously faced criticism for not releasing the Cyan update for the Icon. Now that Verizon Wireless has updated the Icon directly to Denim, skipping Cyan, the OS and firmware distinctions have largely been eliminated.[6]

Naming

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While in development, the Nokia Lumia Icon was known by its model number. Early development screenshots and prototype accessories referred to the phone as the Lumia 929.[13][14] This was in keeping with Nokia's previous branding practice of assigning a corresponding number to the place where the phone would sit in Nokia's lineup, with higher numbers indicating higher-end models and lower numbers indicating lower-end products. Upon release, the phone kept the model number 929, but was the first Lumia to utilize a name other than its model number for branding.[15][16]

Reception

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The Lumia Icon received fairly positive reviews, with some reviewers calling it the best Windows Phone released, praising the phone's camera quality, display, and overall speed but detracting its being locked to one carrier and having a camera with a slow transition time between taking photographs. Reviewers were split on the design of the phone, with some praising its metal build quality as solid and premium, and others criticizing it for being too utilitarian and conservative.[1][12][17][18]

Brad Molen of Engadget called the Lumia Icon "the solid high-end Windows Phone that we've wanted for a long time. It has an amazing display, great performance and solid imaging capability, but its exclusivity to Verizon will severely limit its appeal."[12] and Mark Hachman of PCWorld said "If you’re an app fiend, you’d still be better off buying an iPhone or Android phone, which dependably receive third-party apps. But the Icon and Lumia 1520 are clearly the best Windows Phones on the market. Deciding between them simply depends on which size you prefer."[17] Christina Bonnington from Wired said that the best Windows Phone ever still disappoints, and mentioned poor call quality as one of the detractors, but praised the solid build quality, inclusion of wireless charging, and powerful processor.[19]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d Rubino, Daniel (Feb 12, 2014). "Nokia Lumia Icon Review". Mobile Nations. Retrieved 23 February 2014.
  2. ^ Rougeau, Michael (Jan 21, 2014). "Nokia Lumia 929 'Icon' leak takes the stage on carrier's own website". TechRadar. Future. Retrieved 18 July 2015.
  3. ^ Fedewa, Joe (Feb 12, 2014). "Nokia Lumia Icon for Verizon officially announced". Winsource.com. Retrieved 23 February 2014.
  4. ^ T., Nick (Feb 12, 2014). "Nokia Lumia Icon for Verizon is finally announced". Phonearena.com. Retrieved 23 February 2014.
  5. ^ Fraser, Adam. "Full of features: Lumia Denim Update". microsoft.com. Archived from the original on 12 February 2015. Retrieved 13 February 2015.
  6. ^ a b Newman, Jared. "Better late than never: Lumia Icon gets big Denim update with Windows 8.1". pcworld.com. Retrieved 13 February 2015.
  7. ^ "Microsoft Lumia Icon Software Update | Verizon Wireless". www.verizonwireless.com. Retrieved 2016-06-23.
  8. ^ "Verizon is set to upgrade Lumia Icon to Windows 10 Mobile on June 23". 2016-06-22. Retrieved 2016-06-23.
  9. ^ "Nokia Lumia Icon". Nokia. Archived from the original on 21 February 2014. Retrieved 23 February 2014.
  10. ^ "Technobuffalo Lumia Icon Review". Retrieved 19 March 2014.
  11. ^ Moon, Mariella (Dec 19, 2014). "Microsoft's new Lumia update adds 4K recording and more to a few Windows Phones". Engadget. AOL Tech. Retrieved 2017-02-13.
  12. ^ a b c Molen, Brad (Feb 19, 2014). "Nokia Lumia Icon review: a big step forward for Windows Phone". Engadget.com. Retrieved 23 February 2014.
  13. ^ Sabri, Sam (Feb 4, 2014). "Leaked: Nokia Lumia Icon cases (that you can't buy yet from Verizon)". Mobile Nations. Retrieved 23 February 2014.
  14. ^ "Verizon-bound Nokia Lumia 929 leaks in high-res photos". GSMarena.com. Nov 4, 2014. Retrieved 23 February 2014.
  15. ^ Geddes, James (Dec 17, 2013). "Verizon Nokia Lumia 929 to be first Lumia to drop number name, launch as Lumia Icon". IT Tech Post. Retrieved 23 February 2014.
  16. ^ "Lumia 929 for Verizon to be called 'Icon' and delayed to Q1 2014". Windowsphonearena.com. Dec 18, 2013. Retrieved 23 February 2014.
  17. ^ a b Hachman, Mark (Feb 20, 2014). "Nokia Lumia Icon review: The best Windows Phone so far". PCworld.com. Retrieved 23 February 2014.
  18. ^ Smith, Sherri (Feb 12, 2014). "Nokia Lumia Icon Review". Laptopmag.com. Retrieved 23 February 2014.
  19. ^ The Best Windows Phone Ever Still Disappoints | Product Reviews | Wired.com