Nokia Launches Lumia 505 With Windows Phone 7.8: Should You Wait for it Or Buy Sony Xperia U?

In an attempt to foray into the mid-range segment of the Indian smartphone arena, which is prominently dominated by local vendors and major global manufacturers including Nokia, Samsung, HTC, Sony are constantly launching new handsets with impressive specifications at attractive price tags.

Following the launch of Lumia 620, a Windows Phone 8 based smartphone, Nokia has come up with Lumia 505, which runs on Windows Phone 7.8 out of the box. However, the launch of Lumia 505 could be a surprising move for many consumers as they are eagerly waiting for the roll out of Windows Phone 7.8 update for the existing Lumia smartphones based on WP 7.5 Mango OS.

At the same time, Sony is a notable manufacturer who has launched a plethora of smartphones in the mid-range segment. Also, Sony has revealed its plans on when the handsets will receive Android 4.1 Jelly Bean upgrade. Further, the company has been timely in rolling out Ice Cream Sandwich update for its smartphones.

Recently, Sony Italy confirmed on its Facebook page that the Xperia U handset will receive the official Android 4.1 Jelly Bean upgrade. It also revealed that the OTA upgrade will be rolled out to the handset starting December.

When it comes to availability in India, Xperia U is priced at Rs 14,999, whereas, Lumia 505 is announced only for Mexico for the time being. As of now there is no official information on the price of the Nokia offering and on its India availability.

However, analysts assume that the handset will be priced in the sub Rs 15,000 price point and that it will hit the retail shelves of India in early 2013.

Hence, below is a comparison on Nokia Lumia 505 and Sony Xperia U. Read it!

Dimensions & Weight: Lumia 505 boasts a dimension of 118.1 x 61.2 x 11.3 mm and weighs in at 131 grams, while Xperia U carries a dimension of 112 x 54 x 12 mm and weighs lesser than the HTC phone, that is around 110 grams.

Display: When it comes to display, Lumia 505 packs a 3.7 inch MOLED clear black touchscreen display with a resolution of 800 x 480 pixels.

On the other hand, Xperia U houses a 3.5 inch capacitive touchscreen display with 854 x 480 pixel resolution and Reality display with Mobile BRAVIA Engine.

Processor: In this segment, Lumia 505 is equipped with an 800MHz Snapdragon S1 processor, whereas, Xperia U is powered by a dual core 1GHz processor.

Operating System: Speaking of OS, Lumia 505 is based on Windows Phone 7.8 OS out of the box and Xperia U, which is flavored with Android 4.0 ICS is upgradeable to Android 4.1 Jelly Bean OS.

When it comes to software features, Windows Phone 7.8 OS will have a new Start screen look and feel, familiar to that in Windows Phone 8, Ringtone maker app to selected markets to create a personal ringtone, Contact share app updated to support sharing over Bluetooth in addition to SMS and email and more.

On the other hand, Android 4.1 Jelly Bean comes with the platform is packed with a plethora of new features including Project Butter, which offers faster, smoother and responsive performance, on-screen navigation buttons, expandable and contractible Android notifications, resizable App Widgets functionality, high resolution contact photos, Android Beam app and more.

Camera: On the camera optics front, Lumia 505 sports an 8MP rear camera with auto focus, LED flash, and BSI sensor for better low-light imaging. However, the handset lacks a front facing camera.

In comparison, Xperia U has a 5MP rear camera with auto focus, 16x digital zoom, LED flash and possess a VGA front camera for chatting sessions.

Storage: In terms of storage Lumia 505 has 4GB internal memory and 256MB RAM, whereas, Xperia U boasts a higher 8GB internal storage and 512MB RAM. However, both the handsets lack a microSD support for external storage support.

Connectivity: On the data connectivity front, both the smartphones are packed with connectivity features including Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 3G, in-built GPS and micro USB 2.0.

Battery: Lumia 505 is loaded with a 1,300 mAh BP-3L battery delivering 7 hours talk time and 660 hours standby while Xperia U has a 1,320 mAh Li-ion battery, which offers 6.5 hours talk time and 472 hours standby.

Price: While the official price and availability of Lumia 505 remains undisclosded, Xperia U is priced at Rs 14,999.

Verdict

Analyzing the specs, Lumia 505 and Xperia U are almost similar, however, being based on difference operating systems, the handsets will offer different user experience.

Talking about Lumia 505 comes preloaded with applications including Nokia Maps, Nokia Transport, Nokia Drive and free unlimited Nokia Music and Nokia MixRadio subscription for three months. Further, the handset comes in different color options including black, red and pink.

At the same time, Sony Xperia U posses a beautiful screen resolution as compared to HTC Desire X and has a front camera for the facility of video calling. Overall, the handset has a better look and feel with overhauled design and colored mood changing lights in the illumination bar.

If the concern is on a slightly larger display and better camera performance, Nokia Lumia 505 could be a better option.

On the other hand, if the concern is on a faster dual core processor, increased internal storage option and front camera for video calling, Sony Xperia U should be the right choice.