In an interview with Conversations, which you can watch in the video above, Joe said the innovative new smartphones represented Microsoft’s ‘next big chapter in our partnership with Nokia.’
The Lumia 920 and the Lumia 820 are the first Nokia smartphones to run on the new Windows Phone 8 operating system that has been overseen by Joe and his team.
How significant is Windows Phone 8?
“It is the release where we fulfil the vision of the Metro UI with the beautiful new start experience and with the underpinnings in common with Windows 8 on the desktop, slates and laptops,” says Joe.
“I think the common technology core with a great new user interface across all our products is going to help developers write more apps, help end users be more productive and happy, and hopefully drive our business together in a significant way.”
Talking pictures
Speaking at the joint Nokia and Microsoft press conference, Joe was especially keen to talk about the camera support that Windows Phone 8 offers.
“The main news today is the camera support that we have added to Windows Phone 8 that Nokia in particular has exploited to build an amazing photography device in this Lumia 920.”
Microsoft, said Joe, had added extendibility to the camera experience so that different applications could be created to ‘use our advance pipeline to create all kinds of end user value.’
For its part, the Lumia 920 features the best camera Nokia has ever put in a smartphone.
‘A work of art’
Joe has been lucky enough to be using the Lumia 920 as his own phone for quite a while. What does he love the most about the flagship Windows Phone 8 device?
“I really love the screen and the camera both of which are great experiences. But I have to say when I got this near final version in my hand it has got to be the finish and the ID [industrial design]. This is a work of art.”