Nokia announces 808 PureView: Symbian Belle(OS), 4-inch display, 41-megapixel camera!

Remember that Nokia PureView tease from a few days ago? Well, suddenly it all makes sense. We are indeed looking at an imaging flagship phone and a true successor to the N8. It's called the 808 PureView and it's expected to reach Europe in the next quarter for a price of 450 Euros. Before we move on to its craziest feature -- the camera, of course! -- let's run down the other key specs: The OS is Symbian Belle; the engine is a 1.3GHz single-core chip; the display is 4-inches corner to corner but its resolution is a Nokia-style 360 x 640 (nHD). There's 512MB of RAM and 16GB of on-board storage that is thankfully expandable via microSD. A Pentaband modem increases the chances of getting a signal while globe-trotting, while data speeds will top out at plain HSPA 14.4Mbps. Now that Carl Zeiss-lensed camera: it handles continuous-focus 1080p, but is claimed to have an incredible sensor resolution of over 41-megapixels when shooting stills -- or 34-megapixels for 16:9 images. It uses some clever interpolation jiggery-pokery that condenses four or five pixels into one pixel, to produce a smaller file size for the output image. It's expected to arrive in May at a price of €450 and if you're curious, we've got a gallery of hands-on images and video for your viewing pleasure. Just follow the break for our first impressions.

Nokia 808 PureView hands-on

If you haven't been sufficiently smacked in the face with the Nokia 808 PureView's primary selling point, let's settle the score right now: it's a phone for camera enthusiasts. As niche devices often go, the sheer optical goodness will come with a few sacrifices. First and foremost, we're a bit puzzled by Nokia's choice of Symbian for the phone's OS. That's not to say that Belle isn't a fine operating system, but it's certainly a polarizing decision -- not to mention perplexing, given the company's 'all-in' approach to Windows Phone. Secondly, the 808 PureView is rather chunky, which is emphasized by the bulbous camera pod on the rear. In many ways, Nokia's phone more closely rivals a point-and-shoot camera in size than a smartphone. That said, it's still an infinitely pocketable handset, but there are certainly many other high-quality camera phones on the market that don't demand such sacrifices.

If you're able to move beyond these two major caveats, the 808 PureView is likely a handset that many will come to adore -- even if the fondness is learned over time. It features a lovely ClearBlack display, and while it's decidedly low-res, it's more than sufficient for Symbian Belle and its associated apps. Below the phone's screen, users will find an extended rocker that provides access to the home screen, dialer and on / off switch. These physical buttons are combined with additional navigation options that are situated directly above on the touchscreen. The phone also features a headphone jack, micro-USB and micro-HDMI ports along the top -- each recessed into a pod of their own -- and the volume rocker, screen lock slider and dedicated camera button along the right-hand side.

The entire rear of the phone is encased in a hard, matte plastic that's quite a contrast to the glossy materials on the front. Given the choice, we greatly prefer some of the of the soft touch and ceramic-like plastics that are on the market. While the build quality seems quite good, the 808's materials don't convey a premiere device. Further, while the phone felt well-balanced and comfortable in the hand, the large protrusion of the camera pod greatly dictated how we held the 808 PureView. As with many aspects of this phone, it's likely an aspect that potential buyers will immediately embrace or find entirely off-putting.