Nokia Lumia Icon (Lumia 930) - Windows Phone in 2023 - Ahead of its Time? (Retro Review)

Throwback look @ Nokia Lumia Icon in 2023 (Windows Phone)

Details:
The Lumia 929 (930 in international markets) features a 2.2 GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor, 5-inch AMOLED display at FHD 1080p resolution, 32GB of internal storage, and 20-megapixel PureView rear camera.

Get gorgeous HD video and awesome stereo sound. A 20-megapixel camera and single-finger zoom make it easy to get close to the action. You’ll get great performance with the Snapdragon 800 processor, designed so you can quickly switch from email to games to video.

What’s so awesome about Nokia’s latest Lumia? Besides its obvious good looks, here are some highlights:

Killer HD video. The Lumia Icon can record 2160p (4K UHD) video and zoom in with the touch of a finger. The phone’s ZEISS lens and optical image stabilization help deliver sharp videos even during close-ups. It also comes with four high performance microphones and Nokia Rich Recording technology, designed to help filter out distracting background noises for crystal clear audio.

20-megapixel camera: This new Lumia also shines with still photography, and features a 20-megapixel camera with Nokia PureView technology.
No-squint HD screen: The Icon’s 5-inch 1080p HD display has a viewing angle of almost 180 degrees and glare-reduction technology, so you can watch your favorite shows, movies, or video clips even under sunny skies.

The Icon is also Verizon’s first Windows Phone with a speedy quad-core processor. This 2.2 GHz engine not only helps power its great photo and video feature, but makes it ideal for Xbox gaming. Another handy plus: the phone’s 2420 mAh battery supports Qi wireless charging (charging pad sold separately).

The Lumia Icon also comes with Nokia’s latest software update, Lumia Black, as well as Nokia’s suite of highly regarded photo and video apps: Nokia Camera, Refocus, Storyteller and Video Director. That’s on top of all the high-profile imaging apps already in the Windows Phone Store, including Instagram, Vine, Vyclone, Go Pro, and Hipstamatic Oggl, just to call out a few.

Sleek, Timeless Industrial Design
Metal. Glass. Power. This sleek, ergonomic device contains a muscular 2.2GHz quad-core processor which translates into the capability to store, stream and multitask at high speed over 4G LTE. Enjoy superb video and sound recording every time. Nokia Rich Recording and 4 high performance microphones deliver brilliant stereo with minimal distortion and background noise.

Full 1080p HD, Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) and unpixelated zoom work to capture images you never thought possible. At 20MP, Lumia Icon’s PureView ZEISS 6-lens camera has one of the most powerful smartphone sensors today. Post-capture zoom lets you get closer to your subject from where you are, even after your shot. OIS neutralizes blurred or jittery images often caused by movement for sharp, clear pictures on the fly.

History:
The Nokia Lumia Icon (originally known as the Lumia 929) is a high-end smartphone developed by Nokia that runs Microsoft's Windows Phone 8 operating system. It was announced on February 12, 2014, and released on Verizon Wireless in the United States on February 20, 2014. Its international counterpart is the Nokia Lumia 930. On June 23, 2016, Verizon released the Windows 10 Mobile operating system update for the Icon.

It is the last high-end Nokia-branded Lumia device and succeeded by the Microsoft-branded Lumia 950 and its XL equivalent.

[rhinohippo]

Man now looking at this... I wish they make a phone looks exactly like that.

[krajca]

This OS was beautiful.I love how the UI is simple and non distracting. I occasionally still use my Lumia 650 but more and more apps keep crashing due to being non supported. Such a shame.

[mmorales]

As a Pixel 7 Pro and iPhone 13 mini I really, really miss this phone. People say iOS devices have the best fluidity and support but this phone still works like butter today even though is not even supported anymore. Yes, it was way ahead of its time.

[delbroox]

Man I loved windows Phone. They looked great, features were way ahead of their time and the interface was simply great! I'd go back in a heartbeat if they made it again today.

[madbug]

Window phones were great. They gave you the option to install your apps on the memory card. I liked the os because you could you could change the size of the app icons and app folders. Some of the phones had removable batteries so you could easily replace the battery yourself. I also liked how Windows Phone was compatible with your PC's Windows Media Player so you could import music playlists from your PC to your phone.

[KentSpain]

I had this one and the 1520, and man do I miss it. The 1520 was a superb phone. The UI was great, and the build of the phone was top. I'm so sad we no longer have Windows Phone, PalmOS/WebOS, or Blackberry. We have very little competition in the market, and it shows. Every year higher prices with less and less innovation due to the duopoly.

[GiveEmBeansBAFC]

You are still able to complete a reg edit on the 930 to spoof it into being a 950XL and get the last OS updated. Run app updates through the store after doing this and Weather will work once again! Windows Phones still make excellent digital detox devices with great cameras and the basics. Spotify and Telegram will still work to some degree, as does the Guardian news app. I still take a 950xl on holiday for it's great camera and for being slightly more disconnected. Great throwback video as always ☺️

[glasseffect]

I bought a Samsung Omnia 7 and returned it overnight because it had no option to import phone book from an Android/symbian device. Most of the practical features were missing, and Windows was no competition in a feature rich smartphone market.

[tanthokg]

The Lumia 930 used to be my dream phone in 2016. Back then, I could only afford the Lumia 650, which was still really great at its price, but I spend hours every day watching reviews and stuff about the Lumia 930.

[bymohenski]

i use all black Nokia L930 as primary device from 2013 to 2019 after they stoped upgrading Facebook, Whatsapp and messenger, for me that was the end of the relationship with Windows phone, but still, it was one of the best and most beautiful phones around and I just loved that minimalistic design.
It speaker and mic was perfection, display u said yourself, feeling in hands the same and camera was out of this world.
When I changed it, I changed it with Huawei p40, and the only thing I didn't like after use it for almost full 7 years was Android experience, this metro icons, fluidity, quickness, typing was decade ahead from all mobile devices and till this day I miss Windows phone.

[rkustanto]

Look that design wow, still looks premium

[lastdaycults]

Windows and Zune best products MS ever made that nobody heard of

[Christobanistan]

Turn on the transparency of the tiles on the home screen. My god, it's beautiful!! Especially with the dark or silver scheme!

[wjckc]

I had one of these and actually liked it quite a lot.

[tommysense]

I used Lumian 1520 until they shutted down the OS. Such an immaculate phone.

[boatdriver]

You did not even touch on the best parts of that OS. You could fire up Cortana (Siri for Windows) and say, "next time I talk with OSReviews, remind me to tell him I like his channel". Then the next time I send or receive a text, a call, or an email from/to you, it would pop up a reminder that said " remind me to tell him I like his channel". through Cortana, you could say, "next time I go by Walmart, remind me to get some batteries". And then every time you drove within 1/2 a mile of a Walmart, it would pop up a reminder on your phone. You could say "remind me to get flowers for my wife" and every time you went by any flower store, it would pop up a reminder. I travel for work and go to the same restaurants but never know when I might be there. At one, I told Cortana, "next time I come here, remind me to order the fish tacos". Eighteen months later when I was at that restaurant, my phone dings and the reminder says "order the fish tacos".

[Mellvia]

i still have 2 windows phones at home, i really liked them alot. if the apps wouldnt have been abandoned and installed apps would work, i probably still would be using my 950xl

[bharacudagaming]

Still have this phone. Other than missing all the physical button pad, everything's fine. I updated it to the last windows 10 1709. and still works great in 2024. ^_^

[Dad_Brad]

I had this for 4 years, was so glad to return to iPhone

[kennethlee]

The 2.5d glass was great to swipe on. A pain to install a screen protector 😅. Still my favorite phone designs