Aussie telcos pledge support for Nokia's new Lumias

Nokia’s new flagship Lumia 920 will arrive in Australia on Telstra, with its sister Lumia 820 to touch down with Optus Business and Vodafone.

The Windows 8 smartphone will arrive locally after October and the launch of Microsoft’s next-generation operating system. Pricing and colour range for both devices is yet to be confirmed.

The flagship Lumia 920 will run on Telstra’s 4G network. The phone is Nokia’s attempt to catch up to market leaders Apple and Android but it got a negative reception upon launch, from analysts who felt it lacked a ‘wow’ factor.

The Lumia 920 is expected to be priced similarly to Samsung’s flagship Galaxy S III, which retails for $899 outright in Australia.

Nokia said the devices would also be available through a 'number' of retailers but declined to provide details.

The selling point of the 920 is its rounded edges and colourful design, as well wireless charging and PureView imaging technology. The phones are available in yellow, red, grey, white and black.

The mid-range 820 is similar in design but offers an exchangeable shell.

“So many consumers and businesses have already made the switch to Nokia Lumia and with the new range, we believe many more will follow suit,” Nokia Australia’s managing director, Steve Lewis said in a statement.

“The industry tide is turning and that’s good news for us, Microsoft and our partners,” he said.