Nokia Lumia 920 tipped for wireless charging but just 8MP PureView

Nokia's Lumia 920 PureView Windows Phone 8 handset, expected to be unveiled officially in New York on Wednesday, will feature wireless charging and an 8-megapixel camera, according to new leaks. The flagship device, press photos of which apparently leaked late last month, will support the Qi wireless power standard according to The Verge's sources, for easier recharging.

That will work using a magnetic strip embedded in the back of the Lumia 920, and will be compatible with other Qi-certified wireless charging devices. We've seen smartphones feature wireless power before – notably Palm/HP's webOS handsets – but the technology has yet to see a significant boost in the marketplace.

Other specifications include a 1.5GHz dual-core processor paired with 1GB of RAM, the tipsters say, along with 32GB of internal storage. The display will measure in at 4.5-inches and run at HD resolution (presumably 1280 x 720), and be topped by a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera.

However, while Nokia will apparently use its PureView branding on the Lumia 920, the handset won't get anywhere near the 41-megapixel camera of the 808 PureView. Instead, the 8-megapixel shooter will supposedly be paired with a new image stabilization system, as well as a new camera software.

That's because PureView isn't just about raw megapixels but the technology Nokia combines to improve mobile photography. The 808 PureView is successful because it uses clever software that uses multiple clusters of pixels to produce more accurate stills: each pixel in its default, 5-megapixel images combine data from seven pixels on the sensor, allowing the handset to throw out any glitches and get more accurate colors.

It's not clear if Nokia will therefore be setting the Lumia 920 PureView's default resolution to 5- or even 2-megapixels – the 808 PureView produced incredible shots, for instance, even at 2MP - or if this branding is a fudge of marketing and capabilities. We'll know more on September 5, when SlashGear covers the Nokia/Microsoft event!