The Nokia N96 redefines "high-end"

Rumored for a few weeks now as the N95's successor in waiting, the mighty N96 dual slider has gone all official on us at Mobile World Congress today. Though the phone it replaces is still a beast by any measure, the N96 pushes the envelope further by packing a solid 16GB of storage internally in addition to a microSD slot, something the N95 8GB lacks. The 5 megapixel autofocus camera with Carl Zeiss Tessar lens carries over, but there are now two LEDs doing flash and video light duty. The 2.8 inch QVGA display will come in handy for the integrated DVB-H mobile TV tuner, while a 3.5mm headphone jack, A2DP, and integrated stereo speakers should handle audio with aplomb. Other features include WiFi, AGPS, and morphing lights on the smaller second slide that hook the user up with game controls when it's time to relax with a little N-Gage action. Unfortunately, the first version of the N96 (and the only version announced thus far) supports HSDPA only on the 900 and 2100MHz bands, but we imagine the strength of the spec sheet should still be enough to sell a few of these stateside when it launches in the third quarter for €550 (about $797).

Gallery: The Nokia N96 redefines "high-end"

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Update: The fine crew at NokNok have the first video of the N96 in action. Check it after the break.

[NightBlade @ Feb 11th 2008 4:22AM]

'Tis good, but I think the X1 is a bit better.

[Pdexter @ Feb 11th 2008 4:30AM]

Well this isnt exatly fighting for the same customers.
Hopefully we get some info about the coming s60 ts device.

[Ricardo @ Feb 11th 2008 5:25AM]

@Pdexter,

Isn't it? The X1 is a high-end multimedia devide. The N96 is err... a high-end multimedia device. I mean, high-end has gone quite a big higher with the X1, so basically N96 is now just a middle-end phone, to compete with iPhone and the likes.

It almost feels sad for Nokia, such a bad timing...

[Jon @ Feb 11th 2008 5:32AM]

Well this does have 16GB AND microSD card slot plus DVB-H and 5Mp camera. The X1 has a much higher resolution screen. My preference has always been WinMob, but I have grown to like S60 as well.

Anyway both this and the X1 are pretty sexy. This year will be so difficult for my wallet.

[Rich @ Feb 11th 2008 7:45AM]

@Ricardo
Let's not forget that the X1 isn't slated for release until H2 2008 (the same time as Nokia's touch UI phones). Based on Sony Ericsson's previous track record, that means it'll probably be released some time in 2009.

The N96 will be high-end for at least 6 months after release.

[BrianB @ Feb 11th 2008 10:04AM]

The computer is better than X1. The N96 is better than the computer because you can put it in your pocket. Ergo, this is better than the X1.

[Mr.Tech @ Feb 11th 2008 10:42AM]

Mn... I always thought they would put in a 8MP camera instead but I'm not complaining if they added in a headphone jack.

[Superprime @ Feb 11th 2008 11:24AM]

It has a headphone jack and so does the N95

[prateeko @ Feb 11th 2008 11:51AM]

I think I may have to agree with you. I mean, QVGA? Come on, that is not going to cut it for a device like this! This needs to get a higher resolution in there ASAP. The screen is 2.8 inches, it can definately handle more pixels.

[gerbick @ Feb 11th 2008 4:23AM]

Thanks Nokia... just priced this one (if unsubsidized) out of my league. And since it has wifi, no way that AT&T will pick up.

[Dan @ Feb 11th 2008 6:44AM]

Which bit of 'other features include WiFi' didn't you get?

[Andrew @ Feb 11th 2008 9:17AM]

You should not make decisions based upon the European price. It's probably not going to be that expensive in Dollars - remember the exchange rate is terrible ;)

[JJV @ Feb 11th 2008 9:41AM]

other way around buddy. N95 was 750$ or around 600 Euros at the time it came out. Expect this one to be the same price if not a bit more expensive.

[LondonConsultant @ Feb 11th 2008 4:29AM]

I used to have a N95, but found the user interface awkward, the software buggy, the GPS very slow to get an initial lock, and video quality quite poor for VGA resolution. The phone had a lot of features, but several of them were poorly implemented. So, I wonder if there's any quality improvement in the N96...

[Anthony @ Feb 11th 2008 10:52AM]

I can't speak for the N96, but I can say that the N95 8gb is much improved.

Not only physically (the slide doesn't "click") but the additional RAM make moving from ap to ap very quick- nearly instantaneous.

The X1 looks good, but the N95 looks more like a traditional phone- which is what I learn towards.

5mp is quite a enough for a camera. People have generally come to the conclusion that point and click about right at 5mp.

[Chris @ May 4th 2008 6:21AM]

the VGA is fine on mine, maybe your settings are wrong, its the best quality out there for mobile phones, the N96 is going to be even better with more ram and the dual LED, it beats all the phones on the market

[XenoX101 @ Feb 11th 2008 4:49AM]

Well I just bought an N95 8GB, they've only been out for what, a few months now? Slow down Nokia, as much as 16GB is nice, couldn't you wait a little longer and give us 20GB? Or rather, improve the camera sensor or give us a new version of S60? Just seems so sudden, maybe I'm just in denial for going on a 2 year contract with this one :(

[un_peacekeeper @ Feb 11th 2008 4:54AM]

It's been announced since Sept. 07, and released since Mar.07. You're just a few months behind.

[bandora @ Apr 20th 2008 10:18PM]

Welcome to the World of Nokia.. :(

[Kaminix @ Feb 11th 2008 4:49AM]

Slide is better than no slide, but flip is better than anything.

[Poom @ Feb 11th 2008 4:57AM]

16GB + microSD = PURE AWESOMENESS
LED instead of Xenon = @#$)%*!!!!! Damn!!! Or else this'd be such a great phone

Also, what's up with the music control? Why don't they make the game keys act as music controls as well? This is stupid...

I don't get Nokia recently. Their new phones are great spec-wise, but suffers so many design-flaws, like the stupid loudspeaker placement on my N82.

[Poom @ Feb 11th 2008 4:58AM]

Sorry, I meant that they should remove the music keys near the d-pad. It's so redundant.

[Pdexter @ Feb 11th 2008 7:05AM]

Aye this aint what i was hoping. It's agen more of a add to portfolio than anything else and where is E71 and E66(mostly E71).
Well of course in my dreams i was hoping that they would introduce first s60 ts device, but seems theres still long wait =(

[Kozzi @ Feb 11th 2008 5:29AM]

I wonder what's wrong with Nokia. Real-buttons are nice to have, but I think they kind of overdid it.

[ken @ Feb 11th 2008 6:10AM]

I cant find how many mm thick this is. Can anyone else?

[mako @ Feb 11th 2008 6:37AM]

18mm

[Dan @ Feb 11th 2008 6:47AM]

Thye N95 is an extremely buggy phone and I defy anyone to make use of the built-in GPS - it has the worst reception of any sat nav I have ever used. Hopefully this will be the N95 Nokia should have made in the first place.

[Pdexter @ Feb 11th 2008 7:09AM]

Oh btw those side buttons change grafic debending on what menu your in that's pretty cool at least.
http://forum2.mobile-review.com/showpost.php?p=670345&postcount=23

[LJKelley @ Feb 11th 2008 8:07AM]

This phone is less stylish than the N95 and seems to be Nokia's high end phone where as others are beating it.

[medici @ Feb 11th 2008 8:17AM]

No cigar... I want an international business phone and the N95 nor N96 are it. Want large screen (min. 3.2"), easy key input, full access to mail and attachments. No need for games, but that is just me. Nokia E90 isn't bad, but the front seems like an afterthought.

[Donny Stylez @ Feb 11th 2008 8:25AM]

I discovered this while on the Nokia website. Looks official, but no release date. Maybe in two years? I dunno. same specs as the N95, but this one looks kinda like the iphone dont ya think?

http://www.nseries.com/index.html#l=products,n96

[Superprime @ Feb 11th 2008 8:55AM]

Nooo... it's a closed N95

[Pdexter @ Feb 11th 2008 8:55AM]

Wha?

[BrianB @ Feb 11th 2008 11:35AM]

I can't wait for the commercial.

[lisa @ Feb 17th 2008 12:24AM]

Not sure when the commercial will be out, but there are snippets of it in action at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdo_wEwBqXo and http://www.nseries.com/n96...

[silverblackvoid @ Feb 11th 2008 8:50AM]

holy cow!!!

[Steffen Jobbs @ Feb 11th 2008 10:39AM]

No wonder Nokia is the foremost handset leader. This is one feature-filled phone.

Whether those features are easy to use is open for discussion.

[Pentium @ Feb 11th 2008 11:00AM]

Very good Nokia it's a very good new device!

[earbutter @ Feb 11th 2008 11:15AM]

800 clams for this clunky, bloated, eye-sore six to eight months from now? Best ad I've ever seen for an iPhone.

[Superprime @ Feb 11th 2008 11:27AM]

*ZAP*

Sorry folks I just had to exterminate the appleroach

[earbutter @ Feb 11th 2008 11:39AM]

Yep, that put me in my place alright. You want to get "charged by the button" go nuts.

[Superprime @ Feb 11th 2008 12:19PM]

It's 550€ with no contract. With contract it's probablu 100€

The iphone is TWICE as expensive

[kylmis @ Feb 11th 2008 11:37AM]

Yeah, I'd take it but I wouldn't buy it. No qwerty and too many useless features = poor battery life and fail.

[Scott @ Feb 11th 2008 12:24PM]

No qwerty OR touchscreen = fail. Keypads are SLOW!

[Afinis2004 @ Feb 11th 2008 6:40PM]

Well having my N95 8Gb for 39 beautifull days, I would definatelly recomend this nokia n96 to everyone. I see many comments on GPS disfunctionality but AGPS is working great for me and I just installed maps 2.0 which is FAR FAR better than the original application.
The good thing for me(and I think many n95 users worrying that their phone would be outdated) is that I don't see any reason to upgrade because DVB-H is just marketing crap I think(At least for my country-Greece), at least for a year or two! And 16+8 gigabyte of memory is too much. As much as I have tried, I can't replace my ipod for music(due to battery and ease of usage in more than 500 tracks) therefore 8Gb is enough(I currently use: 2Gb on maps,500 Mb on songs, 2 Gb on clips and about 300 on photos and apps)
And I hope that the rumors for the 950 capacity battery are not true because if they are trust me don't even bother waiting because you will get a big dissapointment only followed by frustration when the n96i with larger battery will come out.

And a final thanx to sonyericsson for the X1. P-series made nokia think harder and create great devices. I hope the X1 will force nokia to bring an S60 touch device a few months earlier to us

[Nithin @ Feb 27th 2008 3:12AM]

keypad looks painful.......

[leeeevy @ Mar 5th 2008 6:12PM]

@pooom
TOTALLY AGREE!
why no xenon? why nokia? why?
one big caveat that i think we should realize before we really complain about LED instead of xenon is - maybe just maybe the 2 LEDs do as good of a job as a xenon?

[Vinny @ Apr 7th 2008 2:18AM]

How can you guys give such bad feedback when this phone is not even released? The phone could be totally different when it comes out.

[kevin @ Apr 22nd 2008 10:51AM]

when is the n96 coming out

[JIM @ May 9th 2008 4:35PM]

August 2008