Microsoft Lumia 950
{{Short description|Smartphone released in 2015}}
{{Infobox mobile phone
| name = Microsoft Lumia 950
| logo = MicrosoftLumia950Logo.svg
| logosize = 190px
| image = Lumia950.jpg
| alt = Microsoft Lumia 950
| caption = Microsoft Lumia 950
| brand = Microsoft
| manufacturer = Microsoft Mobile
| series = Lumia
| slogan = "The phone that works like your PC"
| type = Smartphone
| predecessor = Lumia 930
Lumia Icon
| successor =
| related = Lumia 950 XL
Lumia 650
Lumia 550
| release = 20 November 2015
| price = $549
| available =
| discontinued =
| form = Slate
| dimensions = {{convert|145|mm|in|abbr=on}} H
{{convert|73.2|mm|in|abbr=on}} W
{{convert|8.2|mm|in|abbr=on}} D
| weight = {{convert|150|g|oz|2|abbr=on}}
| os = Windows 10 Mobile
| soc = Qualcomm Snapdragon 808
| cpu = 1.82 GHz dual-core Cortex-A57 + 1.44 GHz quad-core Cortex-A53
| gpu = Adreno 418
| display = {{convert|5.2|in|mm|abbr=on}} WQHD (1440x2560) AMOLED, 564 ppi, Gorilla Glass 3
| storage = 32 GB
| memory_card = microSD up to 200 GB
| memory = 3 GB LPDDR3
| connectivity = HSDPA (850, 900, 1700, 1900, 2100 MHz), GSM (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz), Wi-Fi (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac), Bluetooth 4.1, GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou
LTE (Bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 20, 28, 38, 40: 2100, 1900, 1800, 1700/2100, 850, 2600, 900, 700, 700, 800, 700, 2600, 2300), USB-C
| battery = User replaceable 3000 mAh Li-Ion battery
Qi wireless charging
| input = Multi-touch capacitive touchscreen
| camera = 20 MP PureView
1/2.4 in PureView sensor
Zeiss optics with f/1.9 aperture
triple RGB LED flash
optical image stabilization
4K video (2160p) at 30 fps
| front_camera = 5 MP
f/2.4 aperture
1080p video
| website = {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151010071128/http://www.microsoft.com/en/mobile/phone/lumia950/|title=Microsoft Lumia 950|date=10 October 2015}}
| other = Iris scanner (near infrared) for Windows Hello
Continuum for Phone via Microsoft Display Dock
}}
Microsoft Lumia 950 (codenamed Talkman,{{cite web |url=https://www.windowscentral.com/microsoft-cityman-and-talkman-flagship-full-details |title=Microsoft's Cityman and Talkman flagship Lumia phones and what you need to know |last=Rubino |first=Daniel |date=July 23, 2015 |work=Windows Central |publisher=Mobile Nations |accessdate=2018-10-15}} a reference to the old Nokia Talkman) is a smartphone developed by Microsoft Mobile, officially revealed on 6 October 2015{{cite web |url=http://www.windowscentral.com/microsoft-lumia-950-and-lumia-950-xl-smartphones-officially-announced |title=Microsoft Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL smartphones officially announced |last=Callaham |first=John |date=October 6, 2015 |work=Windows Central |publisher=Mobile Nations |accessdate=2016-01-18}} alongside the larger Lumia 950 XL. The phone was first released on AT&T in the United States on 17 November 2015,{{cite web |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/at-t-to-start-selling-microsoft-lumia-950-on-november-17/ |title=AT&T to start selling Microsoft Lumia 950 on November 17 |last=Tofel |first=Kevin |date=November 16, 2015 |work=ZDNet |publisher=CBS Interactive |access-date=2016-04-30}}{{cite web |url=http://www.windowscentral.com/lumia-950-now-available-you-buy-online-att |title=Lumia 950 is now available for you to buy online from AT&T |last=Edmonds |first=Rich |date=November 17, 2015 |work=Windows Central |publisher=Mobile Nations |accessdate=2016-04-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160430154822/http://www.windowscentral.com/lumia-950-now-available-you-buy-online-att |archive-date=April 30, 2016 |url-status=dead }} and subsequently made available on the Microsoft Store{{cite web |url=http://www.windowscentral.com/unlocked-lumia-950-and-950-xl-now-sale-microsoft-store |title=Unlocked Lumia 950 and 950 XL available for purchase directly from the Microsoft Store |last=Jonnalagadda |first=Harish |date=November 25, 2015 |work=Windows Central |publisher=Mobile Nations |accessdate=2016-04-30}} as well as in other countries.{{cite web |url=http://www.windowscentral.com/microsofts-lumia-950-and-950-xl-start-shipping-other-parts-world |title=Microsoft's Lumia 950 and 950 XL start shipping in other parts of the world |last=Callaham |first=John |date=November 26, 2015 |work=Windows Central |publisher=Mobile Nations |accessdate=2016-04-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160513222051/http://www.windowscentral.com/microsofts-lumia-950-and-950-xl-start-shipping-other-parts-world |archive-date=May 13, 2016 |url-status=dead }}
The Lumia 950 was the successor to the 2014 Nokia Lumia 930 and is among the first phones to natively run Windows 10 Mobile. The phone is primarily aimed at users desiring a flagship device, in contrast to Microsoft's previous strategy of targeting developing markets with low-end hardware.
Microsoft's numbering convention designated the Lumia 950 as a 5th-generation device in the high-end 900 series.
The Lumia 950 was Microsoft Mobile's last Lumia flagship device, and its last flagship Windows Phone device. A supposed successor called Microsoft Lumia 960 (codenamed Northstar) was reportedly canceled while being in its prototype tests level, along with Lumia 850 and 750. The next Microsoft phone release was the Microsoft Surface Duo, while a Windows Phone-powered Surface Neo foldable tablet was cancelled too a few years later, after its introduction.{{cite web |url=https://www.windowslatest.com/2017/06/03/lumia-960-specifications-design-revealed-new-leaked-images |title=Lumia 960 specifications and design revealed in new leaked images |last=Parmar |first=Mayank |date=June 3, 2017 |publisher=Windows Latest |accessdate=2018-10-15}}{{cite web |url=https://www.windowscentral.com/photos-microsofts-canceled-lumia-960-flagship-leak |title=Photos of Microsoft's canceled 'Lumia 960' flagship leak |last=Bowden |first=Zac |date=May 31, 2017 |work=Windows Central |publisher=Mobile Nations |accessdate=2018-10-15}}
Hardware
The Lumia 950 has a polycarbonate frame with a removable back shell, allowing access to the battery as well as SIM and microSD card slots. The phone is available in two colours, black and white, although third-party replacement shells were available in different colours and materials.{{cite web |url=http://www.gsmarena.com/genuine_leather_backs_for_microsoft_lumia_950_and_950_xl_from_mozo-blog-14360.php |title=Genuine leather backs for Microsoft Lumia 950 and 950 XL from Mozo |date=October 7, 2015 |publisher=GSMArena.com |accessdate=2016-01-21}}{{cite web |url=http://www.windowscentral.com/review-orange-and-blue-replacement-covers-lumia-950 |title=Review of the Orange and Blue replacement shells for the Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL |last=Rubino |first=Daniel |date=January 20, 2016 |work=Windows Central |publisher=Mobile Nations |accessdate=2016-01-21}}
= Internals =
The Lumia 950 uses a Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 MSM8992 SoC which combines two 1.82 GHz Cortex-A57 and four 1.44 GHz Cortex-A53 cores in a big.LITTLE architecture, allowing more computationally intensive workloads to run on the faster "big" cores while threads with less priority run on the slower "LITTLE" cores. The SoC also includes an Adreno 418 GPU and is paired with 3 GB of LPDDR3 RAM. The phone has 32 GB of internal storage which can be expanded with microSD cards up to 200 GB in size.
= Display =
The Lumia 950 has a {{convert|5.2|in|mm|abbr=on}} AMOLED display with a resolution of 2560x1440 (WQHD) and a 16:9 aspect ratio. Pixel density is 564 ppi. The display is protected by Gorilla Glass 3 and features ClearBlack technology for improved sunlight visibility, as well as double tap to wake,{{cite web |url=http://www.windowscentral.com/lumia-950-and-950-xl-getting-double-tap-wake-firmware |title=Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL getting double-tap to wake, WiFi fixes in new firmware |last=Rubino |first=Daniel |date=July 7, 2016 |work=Windows Central |publisher=Mobile Nations |accessdate=2016-07-14}} but unlike earlier Lumia flagships it does not support some features like Super Sensitive touch.{{cite web |url=http://www.phonearena.com/news/The-Microsoft-Lumia-950s-Super-sensitive-touch-screen-is-neither-super-nor-that-sensitive_id77533 |title=The Microsoft Lumia 950's Super sensitive touch screen – neither super, nor that sensitive? |last=K. |first=Paul |date=January 19, 2016 |publisher=PhoneArena.com |accessdate=2016-01-21}}
= Camera =
The Lumia 950 has a 20 MP PureView-branded rear-facing camera, containing a 1/2.4 in BSI sensor with 1.12 μm pixels and phase-detection autofocus, a 6-element Carl Zeiss lens with a f/1.9 aperture and 5th-gen optical image stabilization, and a triple-LED RGB flash that can adjust to match the color of ambient light.{{cite web |url=http://www.winbeta.org/news/microsoft-lumia-950-xls-20mp-camera-quite-impressive |title=Microsoft Lumia 950 XL's 20MP camera is quite impressive |last=Caldwell |first=Jonathan |date=October 27, 2015 |publisher=WinBeta |accessdate=2016-01-21 |archive-date=2016-01-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160125142250/http://www.winbeta.org/news/microsoft-lumia-950-xls-20mp-camera-quite-impressive |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |url=https://blogs.windows.com/devices/2015/10/15/camera-magic-on-microsoft-lumia-950-and-lumia-950-xl |title=Camera magic on Microsoft Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL |last=Alakarhu |first=Juha |date=October 15, 2015 |work=Microsoft Devices Blog |publisher=Microsoft |accessdate=2016-01-21}} Maximum image resolution is 4992x3744 pixels (18.7 MP) in 4:3 aspect ratio and 5344x3008 pixels (16.1 MP) in 16:9 aspect ratio. The camera can also capture oversampled 8 MP images, optionally with a full-resolution DNG file that enables more post-processing possibilities.{{cite web |url=https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/mobile/support/product/lumia950/faq/?action=singleTopic&topic=FA142670 |title=What is the DNG format in Lumia Camera in my Lumia? |publisher=Microsoft |accessdate=2016-01-21}} The camera supports video capture at up to 4K (3840x2160) resolution, as well as slow-motion video at 120 fps, albeit at a reduced resolution of 720p.
The front-facing camera has a 5 MP sensor and a wide-angle f/2.4 lens, supporting video capture at up to 1080p resolution. The camera also supports Windows Hello through iris recognition with the help of an infrared LED.{{cite web |url=https://www.petri.com/windows-10-tip-using-the-lumia-950-with-windows-hello |title=Windows 10 Tip: Using the Lumia 950 with Windows Hello |last=Smith |first=Russell |date=January 20, 2016 |publisher=Petri |accessdate=2016-01-21}}
= Connectivity =
The Lumia 950 supports 4G LTE technology with maximum transfer speeds of 300 Mbit/s (150 Mbit/s for the dual-SIM version). Other wireless connectivity options include dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, Wi-Fi hotspot, NFC, Bluetooth 4.1, and wireless screen projection via Miracast. Physical connectors include a 3.5 mm audio jack, as well as a USB-C connector for charging and data transfer. The latter supports USB OTG, enabling the use of peripherals like mice, flash drives or external microphones,{{cite web |url=http://www.windowscentral.com/lumia-950-and-usb-otg |title=The Lumia 950 and USB OTG: Thumb drives, microphones and keyboards |last=Rubino |first=Daniel |date=November 20, 2015 |work=Windows Central |publisher=Mobile Nations |accessdate=2016-01-21}} and USB-C fast charging.{{cite web |url=http://allaboutwindowsphone.com/features/item/21346_The_Lumia_950XL_are_not_Quick_.php |title=The Lumia 950/XL are *not* Quick Charge 2.0 compatible - but it doesn't matter! |last=Litchfield |first=Steve |date=April 1, 2016 |publisher=All About Windows Phone |accessdate=2017-01-04}}
= Other =
The Lumia 950 supports wireless inductive charging using the Qi standard. The AT&T version also supports the PMA standard.{{cite web |url=http://www.windowscentral.com/prep-lumia-950-950-xl-wireless-charging |title=Prep for Lumia 950 & 950 XL: Wireless charging & what charger to get |last=Guim |first=Mark |date=November 17, 2015 |work=Windows Central |publisher=Mobile Nations |accessdate=2016-01-21}}
With either the addition of a Microsoft Display Dock or by connecting to a Miracast receiver, the Lumia 950 is compatible with Windows Continuum, a technology that allows users to connect their devices to an external monitor for a desktop-like experience.{{cite web |url=http://www.windowscentral.com/how-continuum-windows-10-mobile-works-lumia-950 |title=How Continuum for Windows 10 Mobile works on Lumia 950 & Lumia 950 XL |last=Huculak |first=Mauro |date=October 8, 2015 |work=Windows Central |publisher=Mobile Nations |accessdate=2016-01-18}}
Software
The Lumia 950 originally launched with Windows 10 Mobile Version 1511. Microsoft released Windows 10 Mobile Version 1607 (Anniversary Update) in August 2016,{{cite web |url=http://www.winbeta.org/news/windows-10-mobile-anniversary-update-now-available |title=Windows 10 Mobile Anniversary Update now available for some |last=Brengel |first=Kellogg |date=August 16, 2016 |publisher=WinBeta |accessdate=2016-08-26}}{{cite web |url=https://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2016/08/02/how-to-get-the-windows-10-anniversary-update |title=How to get the Windows 10 Anniversary Update |last=Fortin |first=Michael |date=August 2, 2016 |work=Windows Blogs |publisher=Microsoft |accessdate=2016-08-26}} Version 1703 (Creators Update) in April 2017{{cite web |url=http://www.windowscentral.com/microsoft-begins-roll-out-windows-10-mobile-creators-update-supported-handsets |title=Windows 10 Mobile Creators Update begins phased rollout for supported handsets |last=Bowden |first=Zac |date=April 26, 2017 |work=Windows Central |publisher=Mobile Nations |accessdate=2017-05-20}}{{cite web |last=Cable |first=John |title=Managing the Windows 10 Creators Update rollout for a seamless experience |url=https://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2017/03/30/managing-windows-10-creators-update-rollout-seamless-experience |date=March 30, 2017 |work=Windows Blogs |publisher=Microsoft |accessdate=2017-03-31}} and Version 1709 (Fall Creators Update) in October 2017. The phone received its last update in January 2020.{{cn|date=December 2020}}
Third-party developers have managed to port Windows 10 ARM and Windows 11 ARM to the Lumia 950 and 950 XL, enabling the phone to run a full desktop version of Windows.{{cite web |url=https://www.neowin.net/news/windows-on-arm-for-the-lumia-950-is-getting-more-usable |title=Windows on ARM for the Lumia 950 is getting more usable |last=Carrasquiera |first=João |date=September 2, 2019 |publisher=Neowin |accessdate=2019-11-18}} Linux and Android have also been ported, but not all hardware features are working in these alternate operating systems.{{Citation needed|date=April 2021}}
Known issues
The phone has issues with AT&T's LTE network when users do not first insert a SIM card before going through the phone's setup procedure,{{cite web |url=http://www.vcpost.com/articles/109372/20151128/microsoft-lumia-950-xl-problems-lte.htm |title=Microsoft Lumia 950 and 950 XL Having Problems with AT&T's LTE |date=November 28, 2015 |publisher=Venture Capital Post |accessdate=2016-01-18}}{{cite web |url=http://www.techtimes.com/articles/111686/20151129/some-microsoft-lumia-950-xl-users-having-trouble-getting-at-t-4g-lte-signal.htm |title=Some Microsoft Lumia 950 XL Users Having Trouble Getting AT&T 4G LTE Signal |last=Calpito |first=Dave |date=November 29, 2015 |publisher=Tech Times |accessdate=2016-01-18}} Cortana can cause echoes during voice calls,{{cite web |url=http://www.windowscentral.com/hey-cortana-causing-echoes-lumia-950-during-phone-calls |title=Hey Cortana causing echoes for Lumia 950 during phone calls |last=Rubino |first=Daniel |date=December 7, 2015 |work=Windows Central |publisher=Mobile Nations |accessdate=2016-01-18}} and the phone has been reported to have Wi-Fi issues.{{cite web |url=http://news.softpedia.com/news/microsoft-lumia-950-and-950-xl-suffering-from-wi-fi-connectivity-issues-497426.shtml |title=Microsoft Lumia 950 and 950 XL Suffering from Wi-Fi Connectivity Issues |last=Popa |first=Bogdan |date=December 10, 2015 |work=Softpedia News |publisher=Softpedia |accessdate=2016-01-18}}
Australian carrier Telstra has claimed the Lumia 950 has connectivity issues on their network.{{cite web |url=http://news.softpedia.com/news/australian-carrier-says-lumia-950-failed-its-testing-due-to-connectivity-issues-499334.shtml |title=Australian Carrier Says Lumia 950 Failed Its Testing Due to Connectivity Issues |last=Popa |first=Bogdan |date=January 24, 2016 |publisher=Softpedia |accessdate=2016-01-29}}
Both the Lumia 950 and 950 XL were reported to experience reboots and crashes after their release.{{cite web |url=http://mspoweruser.com/three-things-microsoft-needs-fix-lumia-950-950-xl-immediately |title=Three things Microsoft needs to fix in the Lumia 950 and 950 XL immediately |last=Allison |first=Michael |date=December 22, 2015 |publisher=MSPowerUser |accessdate=2016-03-29}} Most issues were subsequently fixed with Anniversary update in 2016.{{cn|date=June 2017}}
Reception
The Lumia 950 was generally well-received, with most reviewers commending the high-end specifications and camera performance, but finding the design to be less "premium" than competing flagships, and the app ecosystem to be less comprehensive than Android or iOS.
Daniel Rubino of Windows Central described the phone as packing "all the bells and whistles that Windows Phone fans have been clamoring for all in one device". The review particularly praised the camera, including image quality as well as features like Rich Capture and Living Images; overall verdict for the camera was "quite phenomenal". The phone's design was called "practical, but not beautiful", and features like Windows Hello and Continuum were reported to be working well, albeit with some issues. The Windows 10 Mobile operating system and its app selection were pointed out as the biggest weaknesses.{{cite web |url=http://www.windowscentral.com/lumia-950-review |title=The Microsoft Lumia 950 review |last=Rubino |first=Daniel |date=November 20, 2015 |work=Windows Central |publisher=Mobile Nations |accessdate=2016-01-18}}
GSMArena rated the Lumia 950 very highly, saying that the phone "lives up to the hype and delivers on all advertised promises". The review highlighted the specifications, display and camera as being "top-notch" and found both Windows Hello and Continuum to be working "as advertised". While some faults were found with the design, battery life and price, the review concluded with: "Microsoft has done an amazing job with the Lumia 950... It's an eagerly anticipated phone and ... it deserves every bit of praise it gets."{{cite web |url=http://www.gsmarena.com/microsoft_lumia_950-review-1347.php |title=Microsoft Lumia 950 review |date=December 2, 2015 |publisher=GSMArena.com |accessdate=2016-01-18}}
PhoneArena gave the Lumia 950 a score of 7/10, describing it as "a phone ideal for the Windows fan", praising the display as well as features like Windows Hello, Continuum and Office integration. The main downsides were seen to be the design and app selection, while battery performance was determined to be average.{{cite web |url=http://www.phonearena.com/reviews/Microsoft-Lumia-950-Review_id4133 |title=Microsoft Lumia 950 Review |last=V. |first=John |date=November 24, 2015 |publisher=PhoneArena.com |accessdate=2016-01-18}}
Edward C. Baig of USA Today commended the camera and replaceable battery, while describing the hardware specifications as "robust". However, new features like Windows Hello and Continuum were considered not to be "fully baked", and the design was described as less premium than competing flagships. The reviewer concluded by saying: "When it comes to phones however,
Matthew Miller of ZDNet described the design as "an uninspiring, simple rectangular form factor", but acknowledged the practical advantages of plastic over materials like glass or aluminum. The Windows app ecosystem was seen as lacking in both quantity and quality compared to Android and iOS, and the reviewer expressed concern over the performance of the OS itself, although commending a number of features like "the Action Center, the awesome keyboard and predictive text engine, and reader mode in the browser".{{cite web |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/a-week-with-the-microsoft-lumia-950-not-yet-ready-for-enterprise-customers/ |title=A week with the Microsoft Lumia 950: Not yet ready for enterprise customers |last=Miller |first=Matthew |date=December 3, 2015 |work=ZDNet |publisher=CBS Interactive |access-date=2016-01-18}}
Todd Haselton of TechnoBuffalo commended the inclusion of a dedicated camera key and overall imaging capabilities, but criticized the design and said the user interface of Windows 10 Mobile "feels unfinished". The reviewer gave the phone a "Don't Buy" rating, recommending readers to wait for an improved successor.{{cite web |url=http://www.technobuffalo.com/reviews/lumia-950-review |title=Lumia 950 review: Right path, but not out of the woods yet |last=Haselton |first=Todd |date=December 4, 2015 |work=TechnoBuffalo |accessdate=2016-01-18}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20161204074325/https://www.microsoft.com/en/mobile/phone/lumia950/specifications/ Microsoft Lumia 950 specifications (webarchive)]
- [http://www.microsoft.com/en/mobile/phone/lumia950-dual-sim/specifications Microsoft Lumia 950 Dual SIM specifications]
{{Microsoft Lumia}}
{{Microsoft hardware}}
Category:Windows 10 Mobile devices
Category:Mobile phones introduced in 2015