Nokia Lumia 920 vs. Motorola Droid RAZR HD: A Proxy War for the Bitter Google-Microsoft Rivalry
The soul behind the Lumia 920 is Microsoft's Windows Phone 8, a variation of the overly-hyped Windows 8 multi-platform operating system, which in the weeks and months ahead will power upcoming gadgets - PCs, tablet computers and smartphones - to the delight of global consumers.
For the RAZR HD, Google is the brainchild. In fact, not an opposition will rise is we should suppose that everything in Motorola Mobility - its products, its engineering and even its corporate culture - is all about the internet giant, which recently acquired what was regarded in the tech world as the inventor of mobile phones.
Nokia can also claim that it has the full backing of Microsoft and why not. In 2011, the Finnish phone maker ditched its Symbian OS in a desperate attempt to arrest its market slide and possibly its demise.
The result is the full-range of the firm's high-end gadgets will be on WP8. Beginning Q4 2012, the world will see if the Windows shift is a worthy gamble on Nokia's part and the best initial gauge is how the Lumia 920 will fare on the market with a host of able competitions out there.
Narrowing down the contest, it should be interesting how the new Windows phone will unfold against one of the handsets that analysts said were truly the products of Google's entry into the hardware business.
Telstra, Australia's biggest telco, is the exclusive local distributor of the new Motorola Droid, which it is touting in releases as representative of "the best Google experiences," via of course the latest Android mobile platform.
And if Nokia will package the Lumia 920 as the finest there is in mobile Windows environment, then consumers can expect a battle royale from the two industry titans, which are both unwilling to cede an inch of a ground in their long-drawn tussles.
Regular tech watchers might as well agree that spec wise, the two devices are virtually at par with each other - multi-core processors that could reach clock speeds within and above the 1.5GHz mark, maximum internal storage of 16GB with provisions for up to 32GB of expansion and 1GB of DDR2 RAM.
Yet on the outside appearance, the Lumia 920 and the Droid RAZR HD are worlds apart. Nokia has opted for the trendy fashion while Motorola took a plunge on the edgy passion.
The Lumia's colourful unibody casing is of polycarbonate make and Nokia is proud that the material is strong enough (and even sexy in the eyes) to resist not only scratches but other friction that can be labelled as normal usage patterns.
On the other hand, Motorola went a bit far by dressing the RAZR HD on Corning Gorilla Glass at the front and a Kevlar protection at the back, making the phone, which will be offered in black and white, robust enough to absorb the onset of wear and tear, and even neglect and abuse.
The shells on the two phones define their crowd. Experimental for Nokia and subdued for Motorola yet both will enjoy the best communication tools beyond the Apple fanbase.
For Nokia, all the Microsoft goodies are packed in the Lumia 920 and the same goes with Motorola - users familiar with the Google online services will be happy to know that RAZR HD is a gateway to access them.
Early reviewers of the Lumia 920 are in agreement that Nokia's PureView camera technology is the biggest come on of the gadget while RAZR HD, Motorola said, is pure entertainment on-the-go with its hardware capability of delivering both audio and visual amusement, all with superior fidelity.
Connectivity and sharing are non-issue on the new Windows and Android as both were engineered to work on LTE network while facilitate file swapping with ease.
Bottom line is, the Lumia 920-RAZR HD spar is the extension of the ecosystem contest that in the surface functions as the surrogate warfare between Google and Microsoft. In this particular case, the internet giant has the advantage since Microsoft is the new kid on the block in mobile computing.
In the end, consumers' reaction to the new mobile phones, meaning how much dollar they will deliver respectively in the months and quarters ahead, is the ultimate gauge of which is the more effective and profitable over the long-haul.