Nokia Promises N. American Version of N96

The Nokia N96 has already been announced as an upcoming model for European and Asian markets, but Nokia has now stated that there will be a version of its next high-end multimedia smartphone for North American markets.

When it's released the the fourth quarter of this year, the N96 will be positioned as Nokia's most feature-packed smartphone when it arrives.

Emphasis on Multimedia

The N96 takes many of the lessons learned with the N95 8GB and N82 smartphones and refines them. It will have Symbian's latest operating system, S60 Feature Pack 2. With 16 GB of internal memory in addition to a microSDHC card slot, there will be plenty of room for recording and storing videos from its 5 megapixel digital camera with Carl Zeiss optics and dual LED-flash.

The 2.8-inch screen and kickstand will combine to make the N95 a portable video player. Integration with popular video services, Windows Media compatibility, and the ability to watch Flash videos in the browser will make the N96 as versatile as many personal media players (PMP).

As with many other Nokia releases, the N96 will feature Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, an internal GPS with Nokia Maps 2.0, and N-Gage support.

The North American version will feature GSM/UMTS/HSDPA compatibility. 3G bands will include 850 and 1900 MHz, making it usable for AT&T subscribers in the U.S., but not T-Mobile.

Availability

Today's announcement made no mention of a carrier-led release, so as with other Nokia smartphones, wireless retailers, online shops, and this company's flagship stores in Chicago and NYC will be the best places to purchase.

Nokia has announced a price of $895.

For more information about the Nokia N96, visit the Nokia N-Series website.

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