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 colours, basic internals and a low price point.
For about $US140, you get a 5-inch 960×540 screen, 1.2GHz quad-core processor and 1GB of RAM, all wrapped in a colourful (and removable) shell. There’s also a 5MP camera that Microsoft is touting for its Skype (and selfie, ugh) capability.
It’s strictly targeted at emerging markets, where cheap Windows Phones have met with some success. According to Engadget, the lucky launch nations are China, Hong Kong and Bangladesh, with more coming in the future. [Engadget, Microsoft]