The following are the Nokia N96 features

• Quad band GSM / GPRS / EDGE: GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
• Dual band UMTS / HSDPA: UMTS 900 / 2100 N96-1 (RM-247, Global), UMTS 850 / 1900 N96-3 (RM-247, Global), no UMTS N96 (RM-297, PR China)
• 3G and WLAN access (RM-297 variant (PR China only) does not have WCDMA, WLAN and DVB-H).
• Mobile TV (network-dependent feature).
• GPS Navigation, map data fetched over mobile datalink or downloaded over the Internet and transferred to the phone over USB.
• Access to Ovi
• Instant upload to Flickr, Vox, Yahoo! and Google.
• Full-HTML browser.
• Symbian OS v9.3 S60 3.2 Edition, user interface.
• 16 GB of internal flash memory.
• Memory expandable to up to 48 GB with 32 GB microSD/microSDHC cards (maximum available card storage capacity 16GB/32GB (once released in 2009) ).^[5]
• 2-way slide, as in Nokia N95.
• 5-megapixel camera, Carl Zeiss optics.
• High quality VGA camera in front of the phone, for video calling and self-portrait use.
• Double LED flash for the camera.
• Pre-bundled with WaveSecure in India variant^[6]
• Plays music files, and lets you download easily via Nokia Web.
• Allows high-quality video calling using 3G
• A built-in motion sensor that can automatically rotate the screen when tilted as on the Nokia N82.

Differences between N95 and N96

Positive

• 16GB of integrated memory (as opposed to 8GB for N95 8GB), plus further extensibility via microSD memory card
• 2.8 inch display with 16 million colours (same as N95 8GB, versus 2.6" display for original N95)
• Camera flash is a dual-LED in the N96 while it is only a single LED in the N95
• New audio DSP for improved audio quality and longer playback time
• New version of Nokia Video Centre
• Longer music playback time (14 hrs) and video playback time (5 hrs)
• Windows Media WMV9 video codec is added
• Hardware acceleration for video codecs for H.264 and WMV (as well as MPEG4 as before)
• Location tagging (geotagging) of pictures, using the integrated GPS
• Mobile TV DVB-H receiver is built into N96
• New release of Nokia Experience Software
  • Maps 2.0 with satellite images, upgrade to pedestrian mode and voice-guided car navigation
  • Internet Radio pre-installed
  • Home Media Solution (sync with DLNA / UPnP devices over WLAN)
  • Online sharing of pictures with plugins for Flickr, Ovi Share and other services (Can be added on N95 with newer version of Share Online Application)
• S60 3rd Edition is upgraded from Feature Pack 1 to Feature Pack 2
  • Symbian OS is upgraded from version 9.2 to 9.3
  • The Java ME engine is upgraded from MIDP 2.0 to MIDP 2.1
  • User data is preserved when upgrading firmware (This feature is also present on the N95-2 as v21 installs UDP base files)
• The FM radio is upgraded with RDS
• Limited graphics acceleration (only for internal apps)
• N96 is a dual-band HSDPA (900 and 2100 MHz) while N95 was a single band (2100)
• MicroSD memory card slot (as in original N95, while N95 8GB has no card slot)
• No need to open the slide for optimal GPS reception
• USB charging with the CA-126 cable^[7]
• New design
  • Landscape-oriented design (landscape oriented speakers, connectors and buttons located optimally for landscape use)
  • Flip-out kickstand
  • Media keys available in all modes (even when slide is closed, for background control of music)
  • Media keys on short side can transform into gaming keys
  • Lockswitch (enables quick lock / unlock of keypad)
  • Thinner and lighter than N95 8GB
• N-Gage included. About 5 games preloaded and one free game coupon (varies by country).

Negative

• CPU downgraded to ARM9 264MHz for N96 (N95 have Dual 332Mhz ARM11 based CPU)
• The lens in the N96 is 2.8/5.2, and in the N95 2.8/5.6 (N95 have more apperture)
• Same battery as original N95 (950 mAh), but the N96 reportedly has a much better battery life using the same battery (Nokia N95 8GB has 1200 mAh)
• No infra-red port on N96
• No Hardware 3D graphics accelerator for N96
• Built-in support for VoIP telephony (and thus cheap Internet Calling) removed from N96 (N95 has Nokia VoIP 2.1)
• Digital zoom is only x10 on N96, while it’s x20 on N95 8GB