Nokia has been working hard to get a new Windows Phone device out every few months this year, and it looks like we’re nearing the announcement of what is, presumably, its final hardware launch of 2013. According to a report by Reuters, Nokia will be holding this event in New York next month, where it could have more than one new product to show us.
The rumor comes from anonymous sources, who say the new range will include a phablet-style device. Traditionally, this has meant a smartphone with a screen larger than 5-inches, but today, that size has become the norm on regular range-topping phones. So could this be proof we’re weeks away from seeing the Nokia Bandit?
A recent leak described the Bandit as having a 6-inch, 1080p display, and a quad-core processor, putting it firmly in smartphone/tablet hybrid territory. Apparently, the phone is already undergoing tests at AT&T, suggesting launch may not be that far away. If more than one piece of new hardware is going to be shown, the rumored Lumia 825 is a strong candidate. It’s said to have a 5.2-inch screen and a quad-core chip, but instead of a 1080p resolution it’ll be 720p, and the processor will have a lower clock speed than the Bandit’s.
Then there is the Nokia tablet, which after a few months absence from the headlines, has come back with a vengeance over the past weeks. If the rumors are correct, it will run Windows RT 8.1, feature a 10.1-inch display, and be powered by a Snapdragon 800 processor. Earlier leaks put the launch date at September 26, which fits in nicely with Reuter’s sources.
A screenshot supposedly showing a Nokia event registration page also backs up the claim. It states Nokia will be holding a get-together on September 26 and September 27 in New York, which interestingly are the same dates Nokia World was held in 2012. Nokia has left it a little late to organize a major developer conference this year – last year it was held in Helsinki and announced in March – but a smaller event that kicks off with some major hardware announcements (just like in the old days of Nokia World) would make up for it. If so, we can expect to see some invitations circulate in a few weeks time.
