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Nokia’s first Windows Phone 8.1 handset includes ‘3D Touch’ features

Nokia’s first Windows Phone 8.1 handset includes ‘3D Touch’ features

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Nokia (STOCK)
Nokia (STOCK)

Nokia’s upcoming 6-inch Lumia 1520 flagship handset hasn’t been released yet, but we’re already starting to hear early details on the company’s Windows Phone 8.1 plans. Twitter account @evleaks revealed today that Nokia is planning two handsets for Windows Phone 8.1: "Goldfinger" and "Moneypenny." They’re just codenames for now, but The Verge understands Goldfinger is the flagship model out of the two.

Sources familiar with Nokia’s plans have revealed that Goldfinger will ship with some technology that Nokia has been developing for years now. Described internally as "3D Touch," it essentially makes use of hardware sensors to detect interactions that are off-the-glass. Former head of Nokia design, Marko Ahtisaari, hinted at the experimental gestures in an interview with The Verge two years ago, calling them a "key area where we'll continue to innovate." Nokia started experimenting publicly with similar features in an update to its Glance screen software, which let Lumia owners wave at their handsets to see the time. We understand its first Windows Phone 8.1 device will take this a step further.

Hand gestures for your Windows Phone

We’re told that owners will be able to interact with Goldfinger by making hand gestures above and to the side of the device. Gestures currently under consideration include scrolling and flipping to let Windows Phone 8.1 users navigate around a phone without touching the screen. Samsung has similar features on its Galaxy S4 handset, known as Air Gestures, to change music tracks, accept phone calls, and scroll through webpages.

Microsoft is currently readying its Windows Phone 8.1 update, and we understand the company is tentatively planning to detail parts of these new features at Mobile World Congress 2014. Windows Phone 8.1 is expected to include a notification center, improvements to multitasking, and a personal digital assistant codenamed Cortana.