LAS VEGAS, NV, United States – While hardware has dominated the headlines this week, what’s also new is that Nokia Lumia owners are going to be treated to some exclusive apps that Nokia has developed in conjunction with its partners.

The CNN for Windows Phone app will appear first and exclusively on Nokia Lumia smartphones.

We’ve got a longstanding relationship with CNN, as readers may recall, with the network making use of our 3D Maps during coverage of events like last year’s royal wedding. We also introduced a Symbian CNN app last year, with access to the network’s innovative iReport citizen journalism network.

Now the app will appear on Lumia smartphones in the States. It will feature the ability to customise your news to your tastes and location, and you can also pin sections of the app to your home screen as automatically updating Live Tiles.

Second, Nokia users will get access to a Univision app. Univision is a news and entertainment network that is especially popular with Hispanic audiences.

The app will provide access to local news and weather in several US cities including New York, Miami and San Francisco; clips of shows, and other information from sports to cooking. The app will be exclusive to Nokia owners in the US and Puerto Rico for 18 months.

The ESPN Sports Hub app will also appear first and exclusively for Nokia Lumia owners. The app will be fully customisable to cover the sports and the teams you follow, with a simple swipe taking users between news, scores, video and analysis.

Lastly, Nokia’s ongoing partnership with Sesame Street has also borne further fruit. The new app is designed for reading alongside an adult. But unlike regular children’s books, the emphasis is on allowing the child to become the storyteller, and the adult the listener, thus boosting reading skills.

The exclusive apps include a free book, 100th Day of School, and three additional titles: Big Block Party, Color Carnival and Abby in Wonderland. Each title includes familiar Sesame Street characters such as Elmo and Grover. These titles are exclusive to Nokia consumers globally for a minimum of six months.

Look forward to more exclusive apps for Nokia Lumia owners soon, in addition to the 50,000+ available from the Marketplace.

video from: wpcentral