HELSINKI, May 10 (Reuters) - Nokia will sell anew high-end smartphone through U.S. carrier Verizon Wireless,it said on Friday, aiming to expand its share in the high-marginpremium market after years of falling behind Samsung and Apple Inc.
The new Lumia 928, priced at $99 if customers mail-in a $50rebate and agree to a two-year deal with Verizon Wireless , is similar to the 920 model currently sold through AT&T, but is lighter and slightly different in appearance.
It weighs 162 grams compared with 185 grams for the 920,which some critics had said was too heavy.
The 928's 4.5-inch screen also extends to the edge of thephone, giving a sharper impression than the curved edges of the920. The new models also come in black and white compared withthe colourful options of the earlier Lumia range.
Most other features, such as a 8.7 megapixel camera and1.5-gigahertz dual core processor by Qualcomm, are the same asthe 920's.
The 928 is the latest in Nokia's Lumia range of smartphoneswhich use Microsoft's Windows Phone 8 software.
Nokia switched to Windows in 2011, aiming to compete withApple's iPhones and rivals using Google's Androidsystem. Sales of Lumia phones have grown in recent quarters, butat 5.6 million in first quarter, they still account for onlyaround 5 percent of the market.
The company has recently launched new products in the lowerand mid-tier range to protect its position in emerging markets,but analysts have said its success in the high-margin smartphonemarket will be crucial for its long-term survival.
Nokia is due to unveil its new Lumia strategy at an event inLondon next Tuesday.
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