A number of operators and retailers officially confirmed on Thursday, Sept. 27, that they will sell the Nokia Lumia 920 and Lumia 820 in Australia. Operators in Australia are the first to announce that they will be selling Nokia's new Windows Phone 8 smartphones, but they offered no details on pricing and availability.

Nokia's flagship device, the Lumia 920, will be going to Australia's Telstra, while Vodafone and Optus business will sell the more affordable Lumia 820. A number of leading retailers will sell the new smartphones as well. Pricing and availability details will be announced at the end of October, according to Nokia's Australian press staff.

The Finnish mobile maker said it expects more operator and retailer announcements in the coming weeks, and reiterated that its new Windows Phone 8 smartphones will reach select markets by the end of the year.

"Operators and retailers are throwing their weight behind our new Nokia Lumia smartphones and we appreciate their continued support," Steve Lewis, Nokia Australia's managing director, said in the press release.

"So many consumers and businesses have already made the switch to Nokia Lumia and with the new range, we believe many more will follow suit," added Lewis. "The industry tide is turning and that's good news for us, Microsoft and our partners."

The flagship Nokia Lumia 920 is the first Nokia smartphone to support Telstra's 4G network. The smartphone also brings the company's PureView imaging technology, sporting the latest advances such as floating lens technology. Nokia recently came under fire, however, for showing off the Lumia 920's camera capabilities in a demonstrative video that was not shot with the handset's camera.

The Lumia 920 also features built-in wireless charging, adds the augmented reality tool Nokia City Lens to Nokia Maps, and brings improvements to Nokia Drive.

Meanwhile, the Nokia Lumia 820 comes as a more affordable, mid-range smartphone. It sports the same look and feel as its high-end sibling, but it comes with an exchangeable shell design. These exchangeable shells allow users to choose from a range of colors and add wireless charging. Users can also insert a micro SD memory card beneath the shell.

Both the Nokia Lumia 920 and the Lumia 820 are compatible with all Australian networks, including 4G and dual-carrier. Available colors include yellow, red, white, black, and gray.