Nokia will introduce its 41-megapixel Pureview camera technology to the new generation of Lumia smartphones, according to a report, Digital Spy said.

Citing "sources close to the Finnish handset maker", The Guardian says that Nokia will announce a new Pureview-toting Lumia handset called EOS this summer in the US.

But it remains unclear whether the rumoured device will actually be part of the Lumia range, or just a standalone handset.

The Verge reported last month that the Nokia EOS will be unveiled at Mobile World Congress 2013 later this month, but there was no mention that it would be a Lumia handset.

Other reports have claimed that Nokia will instead launch a separate refresh of the Lumia range at MWC 2013, including a flagship device with an aluminium rather than plastic body.

Nokia introduced the whopping 41-megapixel sensor at the Mobile World Congress trade show in Barcelona around a year ago. It was on the firm's final phone running the Symbian operating system, the 808 Pureview.

Whilst the camera was praised for capturing images in incredible detailed, it is also known for performing very strongly in low-light conditions.

As the market for Windows Phone devices becomes increasingly narrow and competitive, Nokia has looked to camera hardware and software as an area where it can innovate.

The latest flagship Lumia 920 features an 8.7MP camera fitted with "floating lens technology" which adjusts and compensates for shaky hand motion or conditions. It also performs well in low-light.

Bringing the top end 41MP Pureview camera to the top end of the Lumia range could help Nokia further differentiate itself from Windows Phone rivals such as HTC, Huawei and Samsung.