Nokia's 41-megapixel Camera Phone Not Coming to the U.S.

At the tail-end of last month, Nokia made headlines with the unveiling of its 808 PureView, a phone that packs a camera with a whopping 41-megapixel sensor. The phone was definitely a stand-out product at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain. Nokia didn't mention anything about a U.S. launch but did reveal that the phone would be on sale in Europe in April and pricing was reported to be around €450. However, it seems there was a reason Nokia didn't talk about North American availability: We're not actually getting it. At least not through any carriers.

That's right, folks, if you want to take photos with a maximum 38-megapixel resolution, you'll have to look elsewhere, because you won't be able to do it with the 808 PureView. Nokia's developer site currently lists the PureView as having a global release, except for North America. Of course, as Engadget points out, it's possible that you'll still be able to get the phone unlocked and off-contract -- several retailers are apparently already listing it for pre-order.

For those that missed out on the specs last month (and are interested in picking this phone up if and when it becomes available), the 808 PureView boasts 1.3GHz single-core chip, 512MB of RAM, 16GB of storage (expandable via microSD) and a 4-inch display. Lastly, it has that all important 41-megapixel sensor with Carl Zeiss optics, 4X zoom and the ability to record full 1080p HD. Nokia is using the sensor to target enthusiasts and offer them the opportunity to take high-res close-ups and the ability to crop without sacrificing quality.

The 808 PureView is tipped to hit the UK in late April.

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Jane McEntegart works in marketing communications at Intel and was previously Manager of Content Marketing at ASUS North America. Before that, she worked for more than seven years at Tom's Guide and Tom's Hardware, holding such roles as Contributing Editor and Senior News Editor and writing about everything from smartphones to tablets and games consoles.