The Lumia 920 release date is right around the corner.

Nokia's biggest rival seems to be Apple. Nokia has been struggling in the smartphone market for a while, and with its new Windows 8 flagship phone, the company has a chance to dominate the market with the Lumia 920.

The Lumia 920 runs on Microsoft Windows Phone 8. It takes many of the physical design elements from previous generations of Lumia handsets, but improves on internal hardware and display technology. Some of the new tech specs include PureMotion HD+ 4.5 inch display (1280 x 768 resolution), Dual-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 processor, NFC chip, 2,000mAh battery, and Qi wireless charging. Nokia is touting the Lumia 920′s premier feature as its new camera lens, the Carl Zeiss lens. It has rounded edges and colorful covers with a PureView camera.

In terms of release date, for AT&T reports say it will be Oct. 21. Numerous tech sites, including BGR and GforGames, and WPCentral and its sources also re-confirmed the Oct. 21 launch date. The latest rumors are that the release date for Verizon is sometime in November.

In what ways can the Lumia 920 compete with the iPhone 5? Let's take a look at some reasons why many would buy the Windows 8 smartphone.

PureView

The PureView camera has 8.7 megapixels with a Carl Zeiss lens.

Jo Harlow, head of Nokia's mobile phones business said will capture 5-10 times the amount of light of any competitors' smartphone cameras via a "floating lens technology that surpasses the optical image stabilization system of most digital SLRs," according to PC Mag.

The Lumia 920 includes an 8.7-megapixel rear-facing camera and full 1080p HD video capture at 30 fps. There is a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera with 720p HD video capture.

"The technology reacts to the minute movements in your hand to balance the lens, so the shutter can stay open longer, and more light means brighter, clearer images without flash, even indoors and at night," Harlow said. "The Nokia Lumia 920 also replaces your HD camcorder because another benefit of this floating lens technology is that the lens is stabilized for taking smooth and professional-looking video."

According to CNET, the Lumia 920 wins the pixel race, offering 1.2 megapixels compared to the iPhone 5's 720 pixels.

the Examiner did a "multimedia showdown" between the iPhone 5, Galaxy S3, and the Lumia 920.

"The winner: It's hard to call, but it looks like the winner may be the Lumia 920," the Examiner concluded. They got this answer because of the Lumia 920's 8.7MP camera, which is said to be the most capable camera yet on a smartphone. Also, the PureView sensor has not only has optical image stabilization, but the latest generation BSI sensor. It also has a Carl Zeiss lens. The camera on the Lumia 920 is said to be an easy digital camera replacement, reported the Examiner.

The Lumia 920 also beat the iPhone 5 with software-based image stabilization because of Nokia's OIS and sensor-shift technology for image stabilization, according to Gottabemobile.

Touch Technology

The Lumia 920 is more touch-sensitive than the Lumia 920. According to CNET, a new touch technology allows people with long fingernails or gloves to manipulate the screen.

Nokia Maps

CNET reported that the winner is a "no-brainer."

"The City Lens augmented reality feature found on the Lumia Maps app lets you find local businesses simply by pointing your phone in the right direction, a feature not available on the new iPhone. Nokia is also clearly taking advantage of the backlash against Apple for its Maps mistakes."

Apple also ran into some problems with their new maps app. Many iPhone users are not happy and are complaining and frustrated over the new app.

The new maps app is a part of Apple new iOS 6 operating system, and replaced Google Maps. Apple said it was made completely in-house with data from TomTom. It is supposed to have 3D maps and turn-by-turn navigation with spoken directions, and also real-time traffic information, and ability to "fly" over an area and more.

Nokia maps is a huge competitor to Apple maps, as well as Google maps.

Nokia recently took a few jabs at Apple and Google on their blog Sept. 21, according to CNET.

"Unlike our competitors, which are financing their location assets with advertising or licensing mapping content from third parties, we completely own, build and distribute mapping content, platform and apps," the company wrote. "In other words, we truly understand that maps and location-based apps must be accurate, provide the best quality and be accessible basically anywhere. That's been standard practice at Nokia for the past six years, and we also understand that 'pretty' isn't enough."

Wireless Charging/NFC

PC Mag reports:

"Harlow pointed to a recharging pillow from Fatboy, while Shields featured a line of speakers from JBL. Using NFC, Lumia 920 users can tap their smartphone on the JBL speaker and music playing on the smartphone will start playing on the speaker. Once music is transferred, place the Lumia 920 atop the JBL speaker and the phone will charge.

In addition, Nokia Lumia 920 recharging plates will be installed in the Virgin Atlantic clubhouse at London Heathrow Airport, as well as various Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf stores around the country."

Design/Colors

"Wrapped around the display is a stunning shell formed from the same great polycarbonate material that we have spent years perfecting," Harlow said. That includes "colors that won't scratch off," as well as antennas not compromised by "needless" elements, according to PC Mag.

The Lumia 920 will also come in many available colors schemes on the casing which include  yellow, red, and gray, in addition to the existing cyan, white, black, and pink found in Nokia's Lumia 900 line.

Display/Screen Size

ZDNET explains: "The PureMotion HD+ display automatically adjusts to sunlight glare, has those gorgeous deep blacks, provides super smooth scrolling through pixel translation speeds that are 2.5x faster than other phones, and works with fingernails, fingertips, and fingers covered with gloves. This new display just works and does so in nearly any environment you need."

The Lumia 920 has a larger and sharper screen than the new iPhone 5. It has a 4.5-inch display with 1,280x768 pixels at 332 ppi. The iPhone 5 has a 4-inch screen with 1,136x640 pixels at 326 ppi.

These six features are not limited to the reasons why many would buy the Lumia 920.

Price is crucial to determine if consumers will buy Nokia's flagship phone.

According to Wired, Europe got numbers on Thursday.

"The unsubsidized cost of the higher-end Lumia 920 is around $800 U.S. - based on Thursday's exchange rate, and prices vary slightly between European countries. That's more than the current unsubsidized market price of competing Android phones like the Samsung Galaxy S III, and price-wise, puts the Lumia 920 close to the Apple's new iPhone 5. The middle-tier Lumia 820 is around $650 unsubsidized."

Prices should come down when the phones hit the U.S. market. Apple and Samsung phones are around the $200 mark, so Nokia has a lot of pressure to lead in the smartphone market.

"If Microsoft and Nokia want to see significant adoption, they must simply make the devices cheaper," says Random Salad Games, co-founder and Windows Phone developer Jake Poznanski.

Poznanski says he "suspects that Microsoft and Nokia will ensure a post-subsidy cost exactly on par with the iPhone 5 and Galaxy S III, and we will continue to see a slow but steady growth of Windows Phone."

"There are two types of buyers: One that buys on price and one that buys on brand," Queens University business professor John Pliniussen told Wired. He said buyers will either come in with a budget and look for certain functionality or fall back on brand alliance and buy a familiar phone, like the iPhone, for a premium price, according to Wired.

Pliniuseen asked the key questions: "But why buy a 920? What is the lipstick on this that justifies [the price]? The case isn't prettier. It doesn't purr. I don't see it. That's why it won't work," he said.

"Windows Phone 8 has the same functionality. That won't work. No one cares. You have to have something that kills Apple or Android. This doesn't kill it, this is just different," Pliniussen said.

Price might not matter though. According to a recent Books & Review poll, the Lumia 920 dominated against the iPhone 5.

Which phone would you buy? The iPhone 5 or Lumia 920? Sound off below!

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