N. American Version of Nokia N95 Coming Next Month

It has been known for some time that Nokia plans to release a version of the N95 Multimedia Smartphone with support for the frequencies used for 3G cellular wireless networking in North America, ad a new report indicates when this will happen and what this device will cost.

The N95 has been available in the United States for some time, but this device only supports the frequencies employed by 3G networks in Europe, so it can't connect to the UMTS/HSDPA networks in N. America. Instead, users have to connect via the 2,5G standard EDGE.

However, a new version of this device will debut debut in September that won't have this limitation.

In addition, Nokia is bumping up the amount of RAM in this model to 124 MB and increasing its battery capacity.

It is also adding Assisted GPS and including a navigation application.

Direct Sales

Nokia says the latest version of the N95 will be priced at $700.

Like the current version, the new iteration of this Symbian/S60 smartphone will be sold through Nokia's stores, not through a wireless carrier. This means the price won't be subsidized.

Two New Versions

This isn't the only new version of the N95 in development. There's also one with 8 GB of internal storage and a slightly larger screen in development.

Anyone in the market for a new N95 should be aware that these are two distinctly different devices. The recent FCC approvals for these two showed that the version with the N. American 3G frequencies will not have 8 GB of internal storage, and the one with the additional storage will not support 3G networking in N. America.

More About the Nokia N95

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The N95 has an innovative design that make it easy for users to switch between phone and media player modes. A numeric keypad slides out from one end of the device while dedicated media keys can slide out from the opposite direction.

It also offers 3G cellular-wireless networking and Wi-Fi.

This smartphone has Carl Zeiss optics on its 5 megapixel camera, allowing users to capture print quality photos and DVD-like quality video clips. These can either be played on its 2.6-inch QVGA display or on a compatible television thanks to the device's TV out feature and support.

It is available in many countries around the world.

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