Nokia Lumia 1030 Release Date, Specs & Features: vs iPhone 6; Microsoft Phone Winning?

Previously, it was rumored that Microsoft was quietly killing Nokia McLaren, which is also known as the Nokia Lumia 1030.

However, reports have it that Microsoft is actually pushing through with this "iPhone killer" and may be releasing it next year. In fact, leaked images of the alleged successor to the Nokia Lumia 1020 have reportedly been circulating the Internet lately.

AndroidOrigin said the latest crop of photos "show the device in comparison to the iPhone 6, so it seems there is some heavy competition planned."

Is Microsoft positioning its flagship phone to go head to head with Apple's bestselling product? If that's the case, 2015 must be a year of daring strategies for the company.

The Nokia Luma 1030 shown in the photos is allegedly still a prototype, although it looks fully functional. However, it's most likely that this device will still be subjected to more modifications.

"The alleged Lumia 1030 will supposedly feature a 1080p display, 2GB of RAM, 32GB onboard storage and, if initial rumors are to be believed, a quad-core Snapdragon chipset," GSM Arena said.

"The device will have a dual-LED flash, as opposed to the xenon one found in its predecessor," the site noted, adding that it will also support 4G and sport slots for a microSD and a micro SIM.

In photos that show the Microsoft McLaren side by side with the iPhone 6, it appears the former is a bit bigger.

"The appearance of the iPhone 6, along with a label visible on the handset that says 'prototype property of Microsoft Mobile' without any mention of Nokia, shows that this handset it relativity recent," TechRadar pointed out. "The most interesting aspect of the leak is the huge camera situated on the back of the handset. It's certainly eye catching, and means the Lumia 1030 lacks the minimalist design of other flagship phones."

Regarding the handset's look, The Verge was told by "sources familiar with Microsoft's plans" that "the device was designed to look like a successor to the Lumia 1020, but that the camera was around 20 megapixels in reality and similar to the Lumia 930 and Lumia 1520."

There also have been talk about Microsoft enabling the McLaren with "Kinect-like 3D Touch gestures." However, the company is still reportedly working on the basics to fine tune this technology. It is allegedly possible that some of these features will be seen "in the phone version of Windows 10."

Sounds like the upcoming model might be a winner. We'll know more about this for sure once more updates come through, as no official confirmation has been made by Microsoft yet.

Check out the photos here and tell us what you think.