The Nokia Lumia 1020 is a phone that still commands a great deal of respect in the mobile space, even though it has reached the end of life status. The nearly no-compromise camera coupled with a somewhat love-it-or-hate-it physical aesthetic have ensured that the device enjoys both a loyal following and considerable attention.
According to Chinese auction website TaoBao, a successor to the Lumia 1020, titled the “Nokia RM-1052”, is indeed in development. This purported next-generation offering is believed to have a 5-inch 1080p screen backed up with 2GB of RAM and seems to be running Windows Phone 8.1.
Whether the device is indeed real or not is something else altogether however. There are several small quirks present in the design shown that suggest that — if the device indeed exists — it may not be a successor to the vaunted 1020. Indeed, the design seems to have picked up a number of cues from the recently released 830. Lacking a Xenon flash, showing a plastic skirting at the bottom which is at odds with the otherwise metal unibody construction and an oddly placed speaker grill are among some of the stranger issues. Though the device clearly shares the same design language, it seems distinctly more ‘consumerized’ than the previous offering.
Apparently, this device could potentially be a prototype of the much vaunted ‘McClaren’ project, which appeared amid much speculation earlier in 2014 before seeming to quickly vanish following the closure of the Nokia-Microsoft merger process. The device was rumored to possess an innovative 3D gesture system, giving the phone ‘Kinect’ like features. Unfortunately, it seems as though ‘McClaren’ was cancelled due to issues with the manufacturing process, no doubt caused by the smorgasbord of camera sensors that would be required to create such an effect.
Whether or not this will prove to be the real deal is something that only time will tell, however, with other recent rumblings regarding new phones and with the unexpected release of the Lumia 535 now commencing around the world, it does not seem outside the realms of possibility that Microsoft may be making a bigger beginning to the new year than can currently be seen.
Further reading: Lumia 1020, Lumia 1030, Microsoft, Windows Phone
