Lumia 950 / 950XL? [Stock info/Stores/Networks etc]

g0g

Interesting/exciting article from Windows Central.....

http://www.windowscentral.com/microsoft-cityman-and-talkman-flagship-full-details

Edit - sorry on Googling I realise this news might actually be a few days old, but I hadn't seen anything about them on here.

g0g

Talkman (Lumia 950)

• Matte White or black polycarbonate body
• 5.2 inch WQHD (1440x2560) OLED display
• Snapdragon 808, 64-bit Hexa core
• Iris scanner (infrared) for Windows Hello
• 3GB of RAM
• 32GB of internal storage with a microSD card slot
• 20MP PureView rear camera
• 5MP Wide-angle front facing camera
• 3000 mAh removable battery
• Qi wireless charging with flip cover
• USB Type-C

Cityman (Lumia 950 XL)

• Matte White or black polycarbonate body
• 5.7 inch WQHD (1440x2560) OLED display
• Snapdragon 810, 64-bit Octa core
• Iris scanner (infrared) for Windows Hello
• 3GB of RAM
• 32GB of internal storage with a microSD card slot
• 20MP PureView rear camera with triple LED flash
• 1mm silver ring inside the circumference of the black camera pod
• Aluminum side buttons
• 5MP Wide-angle front facing camera
• 3300 mAh removable battery
• Qi wireless charging integrated
• USB Type-C

The Lumia Cityman aka Lumia 940/950 XL will optionally have a Surface Pen and smart cover. These will not be sold with the device but as extras. The Surface Pen looks exactly the same as the current silver Surface pen available for the Surface Pro 3.

The smart cover is very reminiscent of the one that came with the ASUS ZenFone 2. It has a large circular see-through area for calls and notifications to be viewed and the pen can clip to it. The case comes in black, silver/white or brown.

Both phones will have an iris scanner to unlock the devices. This hardware is part of the Windows Hello feature in Windows 10, and the experience should result in less than one second to unlock the device.

Another optional accessory is codenamed Munchkin as we revealed a few weeks ago. It is a docking station with USB and display ports that can connect to these phones via USB Type-C. This accessory will let the phone use the Continuum feature to project onto a computer display with mouse and keyboard support.

Seems to be talk of September launch and Oct/Nov starting to sell, but dunno how reliable all this stuff is.

_Kaiser_

The XL looks interesting. Although I'm not sold on Win 10 on the Desktop, I have the latest preview/Insider build running on my work Lumia 1320 here and it's a significant step up IMO.

I'm currently using a Note 4 as my personal phone but the Note 5 doesn't have anything to entice me to spend money on it, so depending on availability/price of these I may switch as the Continuum feature looks very appealing if they implement it properly.

unkel

Proper flagship specs. The people giving out about the lack of high end Windows phones will be pleased.

g0g

I really wish they'd include a Xenon flash but I'll happily take the spec of these! Wonder what sort of price they'll be now...

unkel

g0g wrote: »

Wonder what sort of price they'll be now...

Cheapest poverty spec iPhone 6 and 6 plus are €700 and €800 (both 1080p, only 16GB storage and 1GB of RAM :rolleyes:)

I guess about €600 and €700 for the basic 950 and XL (twice the screen resolution, 32GB, 2GB)?

_Kaiser_

unkel wrote: »

Cheapest poverty spec iPhone 6 and 6 plus are €700 and €800 (both 1080p, only 16GB storage and 1GB of RAM :rolleyes:)

I guess about €600 and €700 for the basic 950 and XL (twice the screen resolution, 32GB, 2GB)?

I wouldn't think they'd be that high. Apple may get people to pay that for iPhones but I couldn't see people dropping that kind of cash on an untested OS with a very bad sales history /adoption rate generally.

The bigger question is will the networks carry them. WP availability seems to be limited to entry - mid level generally and one/two handsets at that.

InTheTrees

Well it looks like MS is betting everything on windows 10 being a cross platform OS so they certainly should be hyping the hell out of the phones.

Tazzimus

Hmm, dunno how I'd feel going from a 6" screen (1520) to a 5.7.. Generally don't like going down in size.

MJohnston

_Kaiser_ wrote: »

The bigger question is will the networks carry them. WP availability seems to be limited to entry - mid level generally and one/two handsets at that.

According to Windows Central, Microsoft will be selling all of these new handsets directly via Microsoft stores unlocked, which is a big improvement from the patchy availability of previous devices (at least in the US).

theothernt

g0g wrote: »

I really wish they'd include a Xenon flash but I'll happily take the spec of these! Wonder what sort of price they'll be now...

Why exactly?

g0g

theothernt wrote: »

Why exactly?

There are three points within my post, which one are you asking about?

theothernt

g0g wrote: »

There are three points within my post, which one are you asking about?

Sorry, I was referring to the need for a Xenon flash...

g0g

theothernt wrote: »

Sorry, I was referring to the need for a Xenon flash...

Ah ok. Well the below is based on user experience as opposed to techie facts (which others might throw back at this post!!), but my feel to date has been that a xenon flash phone has achieved much better indoor/night shots for me than LED.

I got great night/dark images from Sony K800i and Nokia N8, but have been much less impressed with Nokia N95, Nokia N97, Lumia 800 and currently Lumia 920. Some of the LED cameras have taken fantastic shots where light is good and they can be good enough in the dark, but an LED is never going to light up that much space.

I just wish more phones had Xenon but assume they're either too expensive, drain too much battery or take up too much space! They're not very good as torches either I guess! :pac:

_Kaiser_

MJohnston wrote: »

According to Windows Central, Microsoft will be selling all of these new handsets directly via Microsoft stores unlocked, which is a big improvement from the patchy availability of previous devices (at least in the US).

But the problem then is you pay unlocked/full prices.. and will people pay 6/700 or whatever for a Windows Phone at this stage?

I know most pay a lot more than that for a phone on contract over its term, but a €35-55 call/text/data package with a "free" phone is a lot more palatable for most than a big spend upfront and then a network package as well anyway.

bidiots

Maybe its the new strategy - business phone, aka Blackberry.
Seen as IOS and Android are so far ahead, makes sense to try a different angle. Create a new 'Blackberry' workforce stream thanks to Continuim and build from there

MJohnston

Renders leaked (and seem to be real) by @evleaks:



Cyan one is the Cityman, black one is the Talkman. Looking at how thin those devices are, I'll be picking up a Cityman as soon as it's available (presuming there isn't another surprise model up their sleeve)

senordingdong

MJohnston wrote: »

Renders leaked (and seem to be real) by @evleaks:



Cyan one is the Cityman, black one is the Talkman. Looking at how thin those devices are, I'll be picking up a Cityman as soon as it's available (presuming there isn't another surprise model up their sleeve)

Absence of QI on the cityman is a disservice.
Not wild on the screen size options.

wheresmybeaver

senordingdong wrote: »

Absence of QI on the cityman is a disservice.
Not wild on the screen size options.

Yep. MS like almost every other phone manufacturer is following the bigger-is-better mantra.

However Sony have announced the xperia z5 (same size as 950), the z5 premium (same size as 950 xl) and also the z5 compact with a screen size similar to my own 920. Other than less memory the specs are the same as its bigger brothers ie flagship specs. Wouldn't it be nice to have a fully specced but "normal" sized lumia? The last one was the 925 possibly!

My 920 is on its last legs. I'm waiting for reviews to come in for the 950 but also the new xperias and I think my choice is between these two. Camera quality is the key consideration for me. If the 950 isn't here by December then they can forget it, they've left it too long between updates.

InTheTrees

wheresmybeaver wrote: »

My 920 is on its last legs. I'm waiting for reviews to come in for the 950 but also the new xperias and I think my choice is between these two. Camera quality is the key consideration for me. If the 950 isn't here by December then they can forget it, they've left it too long between updates.

Agree 100%

Every day I pick up my 920 I marvel at its longevity. That was one amazing piece of kit. It still functions like it did on day one and its so Solid. I've dropped it many times and it only has a few nicks, and it never needed a case.

but its small and slow and i;ve been waiting almost a year and a half past the expiration of my contract and I really want something newer and more capable. I'm getting heartily sick of MS screwing around, they need to release a new flagship now.

But I will miss the build quality of the 920.

senordingdong

I found the 920 fit perfectly in my hand and I lamented letting it go but 8.1 was tough on the battery and the 930 camera was too good to pass up.
Not long after getting it, I got fed up with the big screen, it's difficult to use with one hand but I couldn't give up the camera.
The missus has 735 and I think its the best of both worlds.

950 will be bigger again, and drops the QI so I'll have to give it a miss.

Kamili

InTheTrees wrote: »

But I will miss the build quality of the 920.

I absolutely hear you on this one, my 920 died finally a few weeks ago, stopped charging but I think its just the connectors are a bit iffy in the charging port.

I got desperate and bought the 640 XL and am wondering if I should have held out for the 950..

senordingdong

I'll agree that the build quality of the 920 is second to none.

The 930 feels cheaper and more fragile and while it has taken a few bangs, they're alot more obvious.

Fingleberries

senordingdong wrote: »

I found the 920 fit perfectly in my hand and I lamented letting it go bit 8.1 was tough on the battery and the 930 camera was too good to pass up.
Not long after getting it, I got fed up with the big screen, it's difficult to use with one have but I couldn't give up the camera.
The missus has 735 and I think its the best of both worlds.

950 will be bigger again, and drops the QI so I'll have to give it a miss.

I've got to agree. I've had a 920 for a few years now and it has been grand (bar the overheating after sustained use). It still very quick, taking beautiful pictures in good lighting, even running Android Apps on Windows 10 Mobile.

I'm ready for a new phone and hope that one of the new Windows 10 handsets scratch that itch. The screens seem just that bit too big - especially the bezel - on these renders to be handy.

senordingdong

Yes, it's peculiar that phablet size is becoming the standard.
Correct me if I'm wrong but I thought the 1520 wasn't a roaring success.

Fingleberries

senordingdong wrote: »

Yes, it's peculiar that phablet size is becoming the standard.
Correct me if I'm wrong but I thought the 1520 wasn't a roaring success.

Many will think the 1520 was hampered by silly exclusivity and some limitations of Windows Phone 8.1. Personally, I think any phone that can make the Samsung Galaxy Note look small has achieved something that should not happen with a mobile phone.

senordingdong

Also, iirc, didn't the Americans get some kind of watered down version of the 1520 with 16GB instead of 32GB and no QI coil?

theothernt

senordingdong wrote: »

Also, iirc, didn't the Americans get some kind of watered down version of the 1520 with 16GB instead of 32GB and no QI coil?

That was the AT&T version of the Lumia 1520 :mad:

wheresmybeaver

http://www.gsmarena.com/microsoft_lumia_950_950_xl_and_surface_pro_4_to_be_outed_on_october_6-news-14006.php

October 6 is when MS will be able to convince us that the 950 and 950XL are worthy flagship updates. I'm interested in how effective this Iris-reading unlock technology is going to be. The standard on flagships now is to have some sort of fingerprint reader (see Xperia X5 - fast power-button fingerprint unlocking) so Iris recognition will want to be as fast as reliable in order to compete. I also want to see how Qi wireless charging is included on the "smaller" 950 device - apparently it's not built in but will be in a first-party case. This is not ideal but I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt that it will be a good solution.

I hope they will actually start selling their devices shortly after Oct 6th and we won't have the typical mid-to-late-November delay before shipping. That was a painful experience waiting for stock of the Lumia 920 back in the day.

g0g

I'm also excited at the prospect that MS Band 2 is likely to be announced too and we'll see what specs they have in the new version.

muff03

wheresmybeaver wrote: »

That was a painful experience waiting for stock of the Lumia 920 back in the day.

Man, remember that!? None of the carriers here could even tell you if they were going to have it, one minute yes, the next no. That was embarrassing.