Specifications of Nokia Zeal Windows Phone 8 device emerge

Nokia is currently set to take to the stage to unveil its first Windows Phone 8 devices at the Nokia World 2012 event. The brand is expected to unveil two handsets, namely, the Lumia 820 and its flagship smartphone, the Lumia 920. With these handsets yet to be announced, a report by The Verge points to another handset which is expected to run on this new Microsoft smartphone OS that is expected to debut in early 2013.

The Verge states that this handset will feature in the brand’s mid to low range segment of Lumia handsets and people familiar with the topic have informed the tech website about some of the specifications that are to appear in this upcoming Nokia smartphone codenamed Zeal. The report states, “According to sources familiar with Nokia's Windows Phone plans, we're told that the company is preparing a 4.3-inch "Zeal" Windows Phone 8 device. The Zeal will be targeted towards the mid-range of Nokia's new Lumia lineup, featuring a 1.0GHz dual-core processor, 512MB of RAM, 8GB of storage, and a microSD slot.”

The Nokia Zeal to be announced next year

Judging by the rumours floating around, this handset should be placed below the to be announced Nokia Lumia 820 smartphone. The Nokia Lumia 820 is expected to be powered by a 1.5GHz dual-core processor and will feature 1GB RAM. Apart from this, the Lumia 820 will also come with 8GB of internal storage and a microSD card slot to further expand the available storage.

The report goes on to state, “Nokia is adopting a Zune-like design for its Zeal style we're told, with the handset using Nokia's traditional unibody design. We don't expect Nokia to unveil its Zeal device at a special Windows Phone 8 event on Wednesday, but the handset is tentatively scheduled for an early 2013 debut.”

So as of now, we can speculate that only two handsets will be launched at the event which will take place in a few hours. We can expect the brand to launch lower end handsets at a later date.

With the event primarily based around the launch of the brand’s first Windows Phone 8 handsets, here are some of the generic features expected to be found across all the devices based on this operating system:

• Multi-core processor support: Windows Phone was a slick OS that ran smoothly on handsets with a single processor. The latest OS now features multi-core support with Belfoire claiming that they’re ready for whatever hardware makers dream up.
• Bigger, sharper screens: Windows Phone 8 supports two new screen resolutions — 1280 x 768 and 1280 x 720, making it compatible with new handsets that will feature high-definition 720p displays.
• More flexible storage: Windows Phone 8 supports removable microSD cards, so users can stuff their phone with extra photos, music and whatever else is important and then easily move it all onto their PC.
• NFC wireless sharing: In Windows Phone 8, NFC helps make sharing photos, Office docs and contact info easier. One can achieve this by tapping their phone on another NFC-equipped device.
• Internet Explorer 10: The next version of Windows Phone comes with the same web browsing engine that’s headed for Window 8 PCs and tablets. Microsoft claims that IE10 is faster and more secure, with advanced anti-phishing features like SmartScreen Filter to block dangerous websites and malware.
• Better maps and directions: Windows Phone 8 builds in Nokia mapping as part of the platform. This partnership will provide more detailed maps and turn-by-turn directions in many countries, plus the ability to store maps offline on your phone so you can work with maps without a data connection.
• Improved apps and games: Microsoft states that basing Windows Phone 8 on the Windows core will unleash a new wave of amazing apps and especially games.