Microsoft still intends to bring out high-power cameraphones now the deal to purchase Nokia is complete, confirmed Jo Harlow, Corporate Vice President of the Phones Business Unit at Microsoft.

The Pureview brand, which was first shown off by Harlow at MWC 2012, was the first phone to use the powerful 42MP sensor, a tool that has since been brought to Windows Phone on the Lumia 1020.

However, it's been over a year since the 1020 launched, leading some to speculate that Microsoft was more focused on using the Pureview brand to improve lower-end devices.

A clearer view

But Harlow confirmed to TechRadar that the brand was still looking at the dedicated cameraphone space when asked if a phone with the power of the Lumia 1020 could still appear:

"Absolutely – we're not end of the mission in camera technology, or in computational photography.

"We continue to invest in that area to bring the next greatest thing in high end imaging."

While Harlow predictably wouldn't be drawn on a timescale for such a device, its feasible that it could launch before the end of the year, given cameraphones can be seen a better gift in the holiday season, and it would make sense for Microsoft to launch something by November to take advantage of that.