So what happened to Lumia 930?

[maddogmoffit]

Hi all,

I'm new on writing on the forums but been lurking around for a year or so. Time for a firebrand.

My question is really as in the title, what happened to Lumia 930?
We all know that there will be a phone released under that name in a month and a half but is that really the intended 930? I have an hard time to believe that. It is obbviously the Icon released after the typical 6 month of exclusivity with Verison and to that a very nice phone. But what producer gives one company exclusivity with their flagship? I believe no one does that and specially not an European company to a US telcom when it's majority of sales is outside US. I think it is clearly that the Icon, 930 to be was a special project between Nokia and Verison, with close to flagship specs and a very special design that is a far way from what Nokia use at the moment. Also the timing looks odd. the 920 was released in November 2012 an half year after the april release of 900 and was in every way an uppgrade. if Nokia had followed what many in the branch do and update thier flaggship at least once a year or as some twice a year we would have the 930 at latest in time before christmas 2013. Instead the Lumia 1520 a nice but very nisch phone arrived and of-course the Version exclusive the Icon. So where was the flagship and how would it be speced out? The most natural would have been a shrinked 1520 with around 5 inch panel and 800 snapdragon (at that time still the flagship processor). Probably with an SD slot and most definitely the Nokia polycarbonate design. Instead the Icon get that name after its 6 month of Verision exclusivity. I find that it is a bit strangely. I do not believe that the Nokia engineers was that lazy. Most probably the Nokia - Microsoft deal killed the 930 as that kind of deals often place moratorium on design and development, no one want to take the risk of a bad decision and all wait for the word from the "new guy".

So I guess that my answer to my own question is, bad timing and the natural waiting for the voice of the new master killed the 930. Instead we have to make due with the Icon while waiting for the Microsoft Lumia flagship that may or may not arrive in time to this Christmas. I at leat will upgrade my old trusty Lumia 800 to the 930 but I guess I will still feel a bit miffed if it is made "obsolete" after only 6 month as the old 900 was by Windows phone 8 and the 920.

Any thoughts?

 

[Ahmad Barakji]

But what producer gives one company exclusivity with their flagship?

The iPhone was ATT exclusive, if I remember correctly.
Maybe Verizon has good ties with Nokia.

As for the 930 feeling obsolete, don't worry about that. So far, there aren't a lot of apps that will make you feel obsolete.
The 5" 1080p screen and the Snapdragon 800 will need a lot of time to feel old.
But it's nice to see people still rocking the first generation of WPs

 

[duncan0622]

The iPhone was ATT exclusive, if I remember correctly.
Maybe Verizon has good ties with Nokia.

As for the 930 feeling obsolete, don't worry about that. So far, there aren't a lot of apps that will make you feel obsolete.
The 5" 1080p screen and the Snapdragon 800 will need a lot of time to feel old.
But it's nice to see people still rocking the first generation of WPs

As per my knowledge, ATT is the biggest supporter of Nokia Lumia in US and Verizon the biggest carrier in US (correct me if I am wrong). US is big market, enough for particular carriers to enjoy exclusive. But I agreed it's pretty too late to launch Lumia930 globally. Even though I am owning Lumia 1520+1320, I admit 5inchs will feed most of consumer's appetite. Either way, it comes late just rather than it never comes to international. :-D

I still love my 6inchs monster but i am going to switch one of them to Lumia 930. I hope it can be launched in May.

 

[Saikat Halder]

I am from india, currently using lumia 720, i am quite happy with WP8

 

[Saikat Halder]

I am from india, currently using lumia 720, i am quite happy with WP8, when will lumia 930/icon will be available in india?

 

[jeet64]

U r just happy in wp8 which hasn't anything in that phone

 

[Beijendorf]

I've said this myself too, and I fully agree with you maddogmoffit.

My theory thus far:

1) The intended 2014 mainstream flagship was the Goldfinger we've heard rumoured, which was always intended for a Q1-Q2 2014 release along with Moneypenny (630) as the first Wondows Phone 8.1 devices. The Goldfinger wasn't finished in time though, and was as such delayed a year (Now the 940 instead? Release set for Q1-Q2 2015.). This rumour was verified by both evleaks and Rubino if I recall correctly.
2) The current "930" (and I use that designation very loosely since it's the 929/Icon) is the desperate backup plan that they were forced to release instead of the Goldfinger to keep their sales up. The only other relatively modern flagship they had was the 1520, which is a niche device.
3) The 929 was actually intended for release in January according to leaks. The reason for the delay was that Verizon only wanted to deal with one corporate agreement, rather than having to work out one between them and Nokia and one between them and Microsoft separately. Because of this the 6 month exclusivity ended in June, which is why it's so delayed.
4) Microsoft aren't known for their amazing development speed. Nokia may actually have been forced to wait with the release because Microsoft didn't meet their deadline. As such the exclusivity may just have been concerning North America (since no other carriers in the US or Canada are slated to get the 929+1). This seems more probable, but just as inexcusable.

So in short, absolutely. We're stuck with a (beautifully crafted) international version of a 6 month old Verizon exclusive. I'll hold onto my money until they push out the 1030 or Goldfinger.