Microsoft has now officially buried the Nokia brand name with the launch of the Lumia 535, a low-end Windows Phone for emerging markets with the Microsoft name on the back.
Rather than debuting the new management with a bold new flagship phone, Microsoft is sticking to the tried-and-tested Lumia formula: bold colors, basic internals, and a low pricepoint. For about $140, you get a five-inch 960 x 540 screen, 1.2GHz quad-core processor, and 1GB of RAM, all wrapped in a colorful (and removable) shell. There’s also a 5-megapixel camera that Microsoft is touting for its Skype (and selfie, ugh) capability.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05TGNfXkjUI
It’s strictly targeted at emerging markets, where cheap Windows Phones have met with some success. In fact, according toEngadget, there’s no plan to launch in the US at all — the lucky launch nations are China, Hong Kong and Bangladesh, with more coming in the future. [Engadget, Microsoft]
