Nokia has finally officially unveiled its first Windows 8 handsets – the Lumia 820 and 920.

Lumia 920

The manufacturer is touting the Lumia 920 as the flagship Windows 8 smartphone. It features a 4.5” screen, and a 1.5GHz dual core Snapdragon S4 processor. But perhaps most interesting is its 2000mAh battery, the largest installed in a Nokia phone to date. It charges wirelessly when the device is placed on a charging pad, using Qi standards. Nokia has partnered up with US café chain The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, and Virgin Atlantic, to introduce charging pads to their cafés and airport lounges respectively.

Lumia 820

The 820 is a lower-end model, but not by much. It has a smaller 4.3” screen, but the same processor, and a smaller 1650mAh battery – but one which uses the same wireless charging technology.

Camera

Nokia sees imaging as a core area of differentation in the smartphone space – and it plans to capitalise on that opportunity with the Lumia 920s 8.7megapixel camera.

The camera uses the latest PureView imaging technology, and floating lens technology which, according to Nokia, means the phones camera can take in five times more light without a flash than competing smartphones. 

Touchscreen

The smartphones will be the first in the world to use advanced multi-touch capacitive touchscreen technology from Synaptics. Using the ClearPad touch solution, the devices will be able to respond to input from gloved fingers, and fingernails.

Software

Nokia has also partnered with app developers to bring a range of apps – including Groupon,Vimeo, Angry Birds Roost, YouSendIt and Bloomberg –  which are exclusive to Lumia, or have exclusive features, for a set period of time.

The Nokia Lumia 920 also comes preloaded with AR location app Nokia City Lens, which enables users to see overlaid information when they point the camera at restaurants, shops and hotels. Its part of a revamp of Nokias location offerings, another way the manufacturer is trying to distinguish its handsets in the crowded smartphone market.