Nokia to bring 4G, 3G mobile phones to India at lower prices

Nokia has indicated to lower prices of 4G and 3G mobile phones in India to leverage operators' plans to launch high speed 4G services and boost its market share in the country. "We want to continue to push point lower and lower than anything we have today. That's the statement for both 3G and LTE (4G) because that is the thing which gives us scale of the ecosystem," Microsoft's Mobile Device Sales, Corporate Vice President Chris Weber told PTI.



Microsoft has acquired Nokia's mobile phone business. Nokia, once a global leader in mobile phone market, has been relegated to third position in India due to growing popularity of android based smartphones and increased competition from Korean giant Samsung and domestic mobile vendors. Nokia's cheapest 4G phone Lumia 635 is priced at around Rs 11,300 before taxes but it is not available in India.

"We are also trying to push price point even lower on LTE devices like 635 to take advantage of that (Indian telecom operators plan to launch 4G services) opportunity. The goal is to make sure that we have a full portfolio that plays into that opportunity," Weber said.

The company has plans to launch its latest 4G enabled phone Lumia 830 priced at around Rs 26,000 before taxes by October, as per sources. Microsoft Devices also unveiled another 4G enabled handset Lumia 735 priced at around Rs 17,500 but sources were not sure about company's plan to launch this model in India.

Many telecom operators have not rolled out 4G network in the country due to shortage of affordable 4G devices, among other reasons. Consumers may get about 10-12 times more Internet speed on mobile phones in 4G compared to average speed they get in 3G services.

Reliance Jio Infocomm holds pan India broadband wireless spectrum, which can be used for 4G services. The company has announced its plan to launch the latest telecom service in 2015.

Other holders of this spectrum include Tikona Digital and Augere, who are yet to start their services. Aircel has announced launch of its 4G service in 6 service areas against eight circles where it holds BWA spectrum. Airtel, Reliance Jio, Vodafone and Idea have plans to provide 4G services in the 1800 Mhz band, which has been used so far for providing 2G services.

Weber said that Microsoft Devices has been discussing with Indian telecom operators for partnership. "We have lot of conversations going on with operators but specifically we are very bullish on LTE opportunity in India. Our conversation had been quite productive," Weber said.

As per market research firm International Data Corporation (IDC), Nokia was the third largest player second quarter of 2014 in Indian mobile phone market with 10 per cent share. Samsung topped the chart with 17 per cent and closely followed by Indian brand Micromax with 14%.

Microsoft Launches The Nokia Lumia 830, Dual-Sim 730 And 4G 735

Microsoft MSFT +0.14% has today launched the Nokia Lumia 830, its new flagship affordable phone to battle with the latest from Samsung and Apple AAPL +0.59%.

Microsoft staked its claim in the flasghsip market with its new Lumia 830, which will retail at 330 euros. In comparison the Samsung Galaxy S5 sells for 440 euros and the iPhone 5S for 515 euros.

It has the latest quad-core Snapdragon processor, weighs in at 150 grams and measures in at 8.5mm thin. Microsoft describes it as its thinnest and lightest Lumia phone yet.

Microsoft is also throwing in a free subscription to music streaming service Mix Radio for all new Lumia devices, which has over 30 million songs on its books.



Microsoft also announced the dual-sim Lumia 730 and Lumia 735.  The 735, 730 and 830 all have improved front-facing cameras to improve the quality of selfies and the 735 and 730 now will ship with a new ‘selfie app’, which gives you more editing controls for your selfies.

To show off the capabilities of the front facing camera, Microsoft will ship all new Lumia models with a free three month Skype unlimited subscription.

The dual-sim Lumia 730 with retail for 199 euros and the 4G Lumia 735 will sell for 219 euros. Both devices have a 1.2ghz snapdragon processor, 6.7 mega-pixel rear camera and a front-facing wide angle camera. Both devices have the largest aperture in any smartphone yet and both will go on sale in September.

Speaking on the announcement, a carphone wearhouse spokesmen said “Windows Phone is fast becoming a very viable alternative to the other operating systems thanks to the intuitive interface and brilliant integration across other Microsoft products like Outlook, Office and even Xbox, allowing users to seamlessly connect their smartphone to their lives. Microsoft has kept up a commendable launch schedule with a range of devices all with impressive specifications addressing each level of the market.

“The 830, 730 and 735 announced today continue that with features such as a high tech selfie camera on the 730 and 735, wireless charging and the now signature on-trend fashionable colours, all at a reasonable price point look sure to help cement Microsoft smartphones as a trendy lifestyle product as well as a technically dependable one.”

Nokia may launch Lumia 830, Lumia 730 at IFA 2014

Nokia is likely to launch Lumia 830 and Lumia 730 at IFA, Berlin on September 4.

The company is hoping that the launch of two new Windows Phone 8.1 running handsets will help it to regain some of its lost ground in the smartphone market.



Microsoft Devices is scheduled to hold a press conference at IFA and would unveil the two devices at that time. For its part, Nokia has not acknowledged which new device or devices will be launched next month, the invite sent by the company to media houses says it all. The invite to the event asks users if you're "ready for more".

The Lumia 830 codenamed Tesla will feature a 4.5-inch 720p display, 20MP PureView camera, a microSD card slot, 16GB of on-board storage and more. Some other expected features include: LTE support and Windows Phone 8.1 mobile OS under the hood.

The invite further reads "Join us for more face time". This is seen by many as a hint by Nokia at its upcoming "selfie phone".

Sources claimed that Microsoft is gearing up to launch the Lumia 730 with an exceptional front-facing camera. This phone will have a 4.7-inch 720p HD display, 5 MP front-facing camera, 6.7 MP rear-facing camera, Snapdragon 400 processor, 1 GB of RAM, and 8 GB of expandable internal memory. The Lumia 730 will be a mid-range handset.

Meanwhile, Taiwan-based handset maker HTC is also getting ready to launch a Android handset with a front-facing camera.

Nokia must be hoping that its upcoming Windows handsets manage to grab the attention of consumers in Asia, particularly Indian users. Nokia recently launched the low-end Lumia 530 in the Indian market. At Rs. 7,300, the new phone is dubbed by the company as the most cost effective handset under the Lumia series.

Nokia Lumia 530 Dual SIM Support Pre-Booking Starts in India

However, Snapdeal is said to be exclusive online partner to sell the Lumia 530 in India. Strangely, the online store is taking pre-order without any amount of money and even the price of the phone has not been revealed until now, but Nokia will announce the pricing of the device in the coming weeks.



Nokia Lumia 530: Key Specifications 

The latest offering from Nokia comes with a 4-inch display offering a resolution of 854 x 480 pixels and it comes powered by a 1.2 GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 processor with Adreno 302 GPU coupled with a lesser RAM of 512MB. It runs on Windows Phone 8.1 OS.

The smartphone comes with a 5MP fixed focus rear camera but lacks a front facing shooter. The Lumia 530 houses 4GB of internal memory, which can be expanded up to 128GB via microSD card. Connectivity options include: 3G, WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS / aGPS and what is pretty amazing about the phone is that it is a Dual SIM device. Measuring 11.7 mm thick and weighing 129 grams, the Lumia 530 comes powered by a 1430 mAh battery.

Very much like the other devices that we have seen in the Lumia series, the Lumia 530 also comes in different color variants including Grey, Orange, and White. The Green flavor of the handset is not available as of now, but could arrive in the not-too-distant future too.

Since Lumia 520 is one of the best smartphones that has been sold in India by Nokia, if the price of the device falls under Rs. 8,000, chances of the device hitting the hot selling category in the market will be pretty high.

Nokia Lumia 730 release date, price, specs UK: First photo of 'Superman' Windows Phone leaks

With Nokia having already updated several of its X20- and X25-series handsets with X30- and X35 models, it was only a matter of time before news of the Nokia Lumia 730 (aka Superman) mid-range Windows Phone leaked. Here's where we reveal all the leaked information on the Nokia Lumia 730 release date, price and specs UK. Also see our Nokia Lumia 630 review, Nokia Lumia 635 review and Nokia Lumia 930 review.

The first photo of the Nokia Lumia 730, codenamed 'Superman', comes from Windows Phone Central, and reveals both a new design and new firmware. Also see:Windows 9 and Windows Phone 9 release date, price and features UK 

Nokia Lumia 730 Superman Windows Phone: release date UK 

According to a source close to The Verge, Microsoft's devices chief Stephen Elop announced both the Nokia Lumia 730 and Nokia Lumia 830 during an internal company meeting at the end of July, suggesting that they would launch "shortly". Also see: What's the best Windows Phone 2014.  

Having already announced the 530, 630 and 930, we don't expect to be waiting more than a couple of weeks for the Lumia 730 and 830. 

Nokia Lumia 730 Superman Windows Phone: price UK 

Although Nokia dropped the price of its 6XX-series Windows Phone - we think in a bid to replace the phenomenally successful Lumia 520 with the Lumia 630 rather than Lumia 530 - its pricing for the 530 and 930 fall roughly in line with that of the 520 and 920.  

The Nokia Lumia 720 went on sale for around £250, and we'd be surprised to see the Lumia 730 come in much higher than this. 

Nokia Lumia 730 Superman Windows Phone: specs 

According to the aforementioned source close to The Verge, Stephen Elop described the Nokia Lumia 720 or 'Superman' phone as a "selfie phone", with a 5Mp front camera and 4.7in screen. 

The leaked photo from Windows Phone Central shows a bright green shell and onscreen buttons, as well as evidence of new firmware known as Lumia Debian Red. 

Nokia Lumia 930 review: A beautiful slab of a phone, but is Windows Phone worth it?

Nokia is now completely owned by Microsoft and the newly released Lumia 930 is the first flagship to be launched since the companies wed. So is this the fruit of a joyous honeymoon or have the post-wedding blues already set in?



Once, Nokia was the best phone company in the world. Nobody could match the Finnish manufacturer for build quality, easy-to-use software and striking (if occasionally madcap) design. However, after smartphones arrived, the company stuck too long to its non-smart Symbian software when critics were demanding apps.

Since then it’s dropped from being the market leader to an almost-ran, although its adoption of Microsoft’s Windows Phone has brought growth in recent years, especially when paired with its brilliant hardware.

This expertise is still on display with the Lumia 930, most notably in its signature use of colour. From the front the 930 looks sober and business-like with a black-edged display and aluminium frame, but flip it over and the back is a vibrant splash of smooth polycarbonate. You can opt for black or white, but there are braver choices too, including startling green and orange options.

This is a big phone which doesn’t compete with the Samsung Galaxy S5 for slimness or weight but makes up for it by feeling solid and reliable. It also has the company’s signature extras including a tap-to-wake feature that gets you to the lock screen with having to grasp for the power button – a perfect feature for those of us who constantly check our phones at our desks, and one which Nokia pioneered (although LG and Samsung have both since taken it up). It may be a small touch but it creates a subtly intimate connection to the phone.

Other Nokia specialities include Here Drive+, which offers downloadable satnav maps for when you're missing a data connection (ideal for travellers) and Nokia’s answer to music streaming services, Mix Radio. This Spotify-competitor has been unfairly overlooked so far, offering advert-free listening and unlimited offline mixes (though you have to pay a monthly subscription to skip tracks when streaming).

The five-inch screen is high-resolution: at 441 pixels per inch it matches or exceeds recent triple-A phones from HTC, Sony and Samsung. And, this being Nokia, it also offers Clear Black Display which makes reading easier in bright sunshine. This is an impressive looking display with rich detail and subtle, realistic colour: few screens come close to the sharpness and vividness Nokia is offering and you can even use it with gloves on.

Nokia is also pushing wireless charging with the 930, supplying customers with a charging pad that you can keep by your bedside or at work, letting you simply plonk the phone down to top up the battery rather than fiddling with a cable - handy, yes, but also a necessity as the phone’s quad-core processor and 2GB of RAM eat through a full battery in under 24 hours without any difficulty.

The 930 also offers a fantastic 20-megapixel camera that is unusually strong in low light, although it does unfortunately miss on the high-dynamic-range mode (HDR) that rival manufacturers have used to offer photographs with a high degree of contrast.

Of course, the big difference for most consumers will be the Windows Phone operating system, here updated to the 8.1 version which offers updates including Cortana – Microsoft’s answer to Siri and Google Now that has some extra features (including the ability to set location- and people-based reminders) that give it the edge over the competition, for now. Overall, Windows Phone is a world away from the app-focused systems of Android and iOS and certainly takes some getting used to, but once you’ve set up the home screen to suit your personal needs (everything is displayed in those vivid, square tiles) the experience can be very satisfying.

Unfortunately, there’s still the problem of apps. Windows Phone may have just passed the 300,000 milestone, but there’s still lots of that aren’t available. Sure, they’ve got Instagram now, but there’s still no Dropbox, National Rail Enquiries or, if you must, Snapchat. Key smaller apps are still missing like the to-do list title Clear, or a really good app for Barclays Cycle Hire. If you use the Jawbone Up, Windows Phone isn’t yet for you. The gaps are fewer than before but if there are apps you can’t do without then check availability before you buy.

If they’re there though, and you feel up to learning a new OS (or indeed if this is your first smartphone) then the Lumia 930 is appealing, reliable and solid. It might take a bit of set-up (everything from personalizing the home screen to making sure you’ve got charging pads dotted about) but it’s certainly worth it.

Cortana Comes To Nokia Lumia 1520 Via AT&T's Windows Phone 8.1 Software Update

AT&T has some great news for Nokia Lumia 1520 handset owners. Effectively immediately, you can download and install the Windows Phone 8.1 software update for your phone and start enjoying Cortana, a personal virtual assistant. Unlike the virtual assistants on other platforms, Cortana is the only one that can set reminders by people, as well as by time or location.
There are a lot of changes that go beyond Cortana in Windows Phone 8.1. Users have greater control over personalization -- Live Tiles with multiple sizes and color options let you pin apps, music, and people to your Start Screen so you can see the information you want right from the get-go.

"The Windows Phone 8.1 update also takes full advantage of the Lumia 1520’s Quad-core processor, large, bright 6-inch HD 1080p display, and Nokia Rich Recording suite – four digital microphones and 140 dB recording range provide unparalleled stereo sound for video captured by the Lumia 1520," AT&T says.

Even the Lumia 1520's 20MP PureView sensor gets better with the Windows Phone 8.1 update -- according to AT&T, it adds new features and apps for sharing your images.

Tech Five: Facebook, Nokia stock soaring

Two tech companies are surging early in midday trading. Let's take a look at the technology stocks to watch Thursday:



Facebook. Shares of the social network are up 7% -- double its IPO price of $38 -- as mobile ad revenue continues to spur growth. The company reported a 61% bump in revenue and more than doubled its profit during the second quarter. Meanwhile, mobile advertising revenue skyrocketed 151% compared to the same time last year.

Nokia. The sale of its handset business to Microsoft seems to be paying off. Shares of Nokia are up 7.5% after boosting its forecast on profit for the year, AP reports. Although revenue dipped during the second quarter, profit jumped 20%. The company closed its deal to sell its handset unit to Microsoft for more than $7 billion in April.

Amazon. The online retailing titan reports second quarter earnings after the markets close, just as its first entry into the smartphone market makes its debut. Amazon is predicted to report a loss of 15 cents per share off $19.3 billion in revenue, according to estimates compiled by Bloomberg.

Pandora. Shares of the streaming music service jumped 1.6% ahead of its second quarter earnings announcement Thursday. Analysts expect quarterly revenue of $218 million with an earnings per share of 3 cents.

Twitter. The social media company becomes the latest tech firm scrutinized for a lack of diversity after releasing workforce figures Wednesday. In the U.S., nearly 90% of Twitter's employees are white or Asian, while men make up 70% of all staff.

Why the Nokia X is the best phone you'll never buy

 

While 2014 will likely be remembered for its Samsung, HTC, LG, Sony and Apple flagships, it's a trio of budget Nokia handsets that have been among the most unexpected and surprising releases so far.

We're talking of course about the dramatically named Nokia X and its siblings the Nokia X+ and Nokia XL. They're phones which had tongues wagging ever since they were first rumoured for the simple reason that they were Nokia devices running Android.

When they were finally revealed there was perhaps a sense of disappointment at just how low end they were, but that hasn't stopped the Nokia X from selling. 

According to Saulo Passos, Head of Communications, Mobile Phones at Microsoft Devices Group it's "getting a tremendous consumer response. In Russia, for example, it is the number one smartphone according to GfK market research firm. 

"The phone also enjoys that position in Pakistan. We are seeing great momentum also coming from China, Indonesia and Brazil." So what's the key to its popularity?

The most obvious answer is that it's cheap, as in really cheap, so of course it's likely to sell well. That's even more the case when you consider that it's aimed primarily at developing markets, such as India and China where there are a huge number of people but many of them either haven't owned a smartphone before or can only afford entry level devices.

Even so, you'd think there'd be a lot of competition. Nokia itself makes the Asha feature phone series which goes down well in many such markets while there are a number of locally made budget handsets in India from companies such as Karbonn, Lava and Micromax.

It's all in the name

Yet just as we'd be sceptical about the quality of such unknown quantities here, so too are Indian consumers according to The Times of India, which argues that before the arrival of the Nokia X the only real brand name smartphone available to entry level buyers was the Samsung Galaxy Star.

With so little choice it's no wonder the Nokia X is doing well and speaking of brand names, Nokia is one which people trust. It's been around for a long time and even in developing markets a lot of people have had experience of it thanks to the Lumia 520, the Asha range and earlier feature and dumb phones.

Indeed Azeem Ullah Hassan, a writer at the Pakistan based ProPakistani, tells us that "it is a huge influencing force in this region when buying a phone. Most people have bought a Nokia as their first phone so it remains a huge factor. Needless to say, then, that a large number of people buying the phone are buying because of the name."

So the Nokia X is selling on its name and its price tag, but there's a lot more to it than that, after all if that's all it took then Nokia could just throw out another Asha or low end Lumia and be done with it.

Robot love

What we inevitably come back to is what we started with - the fact that the Nokia X runs Android. Even over here where we're drowning in Android phones that's an intriguing notion, as the much loved Finnish firm has long been in bed with Microsoft, so an Android handset has been nothing more than a fantasy until now.

But Android is far and away the most popular smartphone OS on Earth with a 78.6% global smartphone market share in 2013 according to IDC, so for a popular smartphone maker to get on board with such a popular operating system was bound to lead to sales.

Yet with all that Android competition there could have been a risk of the Nokia X getting lost in a sea of similarly specced handsets. But that was avoided too because the Android you get on the Nokia X is not Android as you know it.

It's more akin to Amazon's take on the open source OS, in that it's taken Android as its basis but stripped out all of Google's services (including access to Google Play) and put Nokia and Microsoft services in their place.

The absence of Google Play sounds like a big deal, but in some places it might not be such a factor. Passos explained that "there are many countries, such as China, where Google Play is not available. In others, it's not the primary choice" and users still have access to third party app stores.

The Nokia X and its siblings have also been heavily skinned to include a tile based interface that looks more than a little like Windows Phone. 

So it stands out from the Android crowd and buyers of the handset can fall safely into the arms of Android while experiencing many aspects of Windows Phone, potentially pushing them to switch to a true Windows Phone handset when they upgrade. More specifically a Lumia handset, since this is a Nokia phone we're talking about and it's even decked out like a Lumia.

Indeed that's clearly part of the strategy, as Passos explained that "Lumia remains our primary smartphone strategy, while the Nokia X family, which includes the X, X+ and XL, serves as an introductory system to Lumia. The Nokia X user interface ties directly into our strategy of providing an 'on ramp' for Lumia."

Of course even users that stick with the Nokia X will find themselves in Microsoft's fold, as the handset uses Bing, One Drive and other Microsoft and Nokia services in place of their Google counterparts.

Passos agreed, saying that "one of the great benefits of the Nokia X family is that it will help to introduce millions more people to popular Microsoft services that work across Nokia X and Lumia. Those services will become central to the online lives of the next billion and they will be able to access them using either Android or Windows phones." 

And the key point is that this is a strategy that is getting users over to Microsoft's side rather than Google's. It's using Android to keep users away from, well, Android. 

That's something that wouldn't be as easy with Windows Phone, as it's a relatively unpopular operating system, with a global smartphone market share of just 3.3% in 2013 according to IDC, but with the heavy skinning of the Nokia X the awareness of the Windows Phone experience will grow, even while people aren't actually using Windows Phone itself.

And by offering three different handsets in the 'X' range Microsoft arguably has the low end of the market sewn up, with the Nokia X being aimed at the very entry level, the Nokia X+ aimed at those who want slightly better specs and the XL at users who want something with a larger screen.

Looking forward

Passos wouldn't be drawn on what the future of the Nokia X brand will be, but it's seemingly been a hit so far and the Nokia X2 is now launching in various countries around the world, just half a year after the initial model was announced.

So it seems that Microsoft is committed to the brand for now at least and while it's too early to get sales figures for the X2 we'd expect that it will do well.

That said, the X2 is almost as low-end as its predecessors so it seems more aimed as a replacement for the Nokia X than a higher end option. By sticking to low-end devices Microsoft and Nokia are presenting anyone who wants to upgrade with a tough choice: either ditch Microsoft's services and move to a standard Android handset or ditch Android and move to Windows Phone.

Presumably Microsoft is banking on the latter happening, but Hassan is sceptical, saying that "I think most people will buy an Android device (for their next phone). The idea of migrating to a less-mature OS with lesser apps seems unlikely. It's highly probable that the phone will be higher end and Nokia doesn't make a higher-end Android phone right now. 

"Yes, Nokia has worked hard to transmute the OS into Windows Phone but I don't think most people can be lured."

Passos meanwhile is optimistic about the Nokia X range, saying that "one billion more people will be connected to the internet in the next few years. We know that they live mainly in high growth markets, they are mostly young people and their first experience of the Internet will be on a mobile device. 

"We see this as a huge opportunity to place mobile phone innovation and Microsoft services into their hands, to enable their first experiences of the internet, apps and the cloud."

In other words Microsoft wants to be at the forefront of bringing in the next billion smartphone users and with the Nokia X and Nokia X2 it just might manage it, but whether those users will stick around when they need a new phone is another matter entirely.

Why Microsoft is killing Nokia X

The Nokia X phones that Microsoft discontinued this week blend two rival operating systems, but leave out the best of each.

As a result, the devices didn't become a runaway hit as Nokia's low-cost answer to serving emerging markets.

Nokia X phones were devised to be a gateway to the company's pricier Lumia phones. The operating system that runs the phones was to blend the core technology found in Google's Android system with services and designs found in Microsoft's own Windows Phone system. Nokia looked to Android as a way to sell phones with locally tailored apps unavailable on Windows.

But Microsoft completed its deal to buy Nokia's phone business in April, and Nokia X is gone less than three months later.

"Nokia tried to bring the best of both worlds on this device, but once you play around with it, this phone kind of falls short of how fantastic it could be," said Ramon Llamas, an IDC analyst who follows phones.

Although sales figures aren't available, Llamas said his research showed Nokia X was "not the one that everybody seems to be flocking to."

The Nokia X project is an example of clashing priorities that Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella is trying to curb with a refocusing effort that includes 18,000 job eliminations over the next year. In Thursday's announcement of the cuts, Microsoft said it will shift future Nokia X product designs to its Lumia line of Windows devices.

Although Microsoft Devices chief and former Nokia CEO Stephen Elop pinned the move on a need to align Nokia's strategy with Microsoft's, two other factors contributed to the downfall: Nokia X lacked an identity, while Windows got better.

Now, Microsoft is left to target emerging markets with Windows alone.

Nokia and Microsoft had been partners long before Microsoft bought the phone business. To maintain the relationship, Nokia sought to appease Microsoft by replacing many of the Google services on Android with Microsoft's services. Android staples such as Gmail, Google Maps and Google's app store are nowhere to be found. Instead, Nokia X phones have Here Maps from Nokia and Skype and OneDrive from Microsoft. The Nokia X home screen looks nothing like Android, but resembles Windows.

The thinking was that once Nokia X users were ready for higher-end phones, Lumia would be their choice because they are already accustomed to Microsoft services and designs.

But Nokia adapted Android so much that it affected functionality. Software developers had to tweak some of their apps because Nokia X lacks key Google services. For instance, location services have to use Nokia's Here rather than Google Maps. In-app payments also had to be tweaked to allow billing through mobile carriers, something Nokia X enabled because many people in emerging markets lack credit cards.

Meanwhile, even as Nokia adopted the look of Windows, it didn't adopt its ease of use. It was more like a knockoff version of Windows.

Windows devices set themselves apart by offering colorful home-screen tiles stuffed with content. Instead of just a logo of Facebook, for instance, you get the first several words of notifications. For email, you get the email's sender and the start of the subject line, so users know whether there's anything worth opening the app for. Windows also lets you create tiles to serve as shortcuts to specific tasks within apps - such as places you go often using the mapping app.

Nokia X has none of that. Its home-screen tiles are static, like overblown versions of Android icons.

Now, Llamas said, Microsoft is under even more pressure to succeed with Windows in emerging markets. Although recent improvements help, he said, many phone makers by now have settled on Android for cheaper devices.

Nokia X did succeed at keeping prices low. Its four models range from $120 to $150. By contrast, Nokia's Lumia Icon costs $550 without subsidies that come with two-year service contracts. Apple's iPhone 5s and Samsung's Galaxy S5 cost even more.

In killing Nokia X, Microsoft isn't changing Nokia's commitment to serving emerging markets. Microsoft knows those regions are high-growth areas, as many people in the United States and other industrialised markets already have smartphones. Microsoft is also aware that those devices need to be affordable.

The day before Nokia announced its Android phones at a February wireless show in Barcelona, Spain, Microsoft unveiled plans to update its Windows Phone system. Among other things, the software runs more efficiently, so it doesn't require as much processing power. That update, Windows Phone 8.1, came out in May. Microsoft also began giving the Windows software to phone makers for free, the way Google has with Android. And it relaxed requirements for physical buttons. All that has made Windows phones cheaper to make.

The Nokia X phones do have some good touches, including slots for two SIM cards - something important for emerging markets, where phone rates vary so much that people often switch services depending on whom they are calling or texting. Windows didn't allow that until the May update.

The improvements made to Windows ultimately reduced the need for Nokia X. But even if that hadn't happened, it was doubtful Nokia X would have survived under new owners.

In his memo, Elop pointed out that "the role of phones within Microsoft is different than it was within Nokia."

Nokia's business had been to make phones. With Microsoft, the phones are a way to showcase the company's other offerings in services and software, including the Windows Phone system.

And Nokia X had no role in that.

 

Nokia Lumia Android Phone Possibly in the Works from Microsoft

It's no secret that Microsoft's Windows and Windows Phone platforms have far fewer apps than competitors such as Android or iOS, but how does Microsoft plan on catching up? Well, if one leakster is right, then the old saying "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" is about to ring true.

According to well-known tipster @evleaks, Microsoft is planning on releasing a Lumia phone that runs Android. That's it. No other details were given, and there's certainly been no confirmation from either the Microsoft or Nokia camp, so be sure to exercise the proper amount of skepticism. Still, @evleaks does have an admirable track record, so the issue is worth looking into.

Microsoft completed its $7.2 billion acquisition of Nokia earlier this year in April, and the Lumia series has been a Windows-based partnership ever since late 2011. It will be interesting to see whether Microsoft is willing to give up pushing its Windows Phone platform in return for hardware sales, as Android contains and vastly greater fan and app base in the United States. According to an IDC forecast, Android should finish 2014 with around 80 percent of the global smartphone market while Windows will only garner 3 percent.

This isn't the first time a faltering mobile operating system has tried to cling on to Android's success. BlackBerry tried a similar approach with BlackBerry 10 when it allowed Android apps to run on the operating system. Little that did for the once-almighty smartphone OEM.

As Ars Technica points out, what are developers supposed to think? If they can code Android apps that will eventually be available in the Windows marketplace as well, why bother coding for Windows only? It's a real question that Microsoft might not like the answer to.

Still, despite the fact that Android might pose a direct threat to Microsoft's Windows interests, the company has stated that it is open to the possibility. In fact, rumors of Microsoft allowing Android apps to run on Windows platforms began surfacing earlier this year and the company has been supportive of the Nokia X, a Nokia phone that runs Android.


"More users of our applications and services is fantastic. If someone is (using an iPad), I hope they really are using Office and OneDrive and Skype, on that iPad. That is a fantastic Microsoft customer. It's great for Microsoft. The same will be true of Nokia. I genuinely feel that way," Microsoft Executive Vice President of operating systems Terry Myerson said in an interview with ZDNet earlier this year.

Nokia's exclusive take on Windows Phone 8.1 is rolling out now

After months of waiting, Nokia (the part now owned by Microsoft) has begun rolling out its Windows Phone 8.1 update to Lumia handsets. Dubbed "Cyan," this software refresh delivers a plethora of new features to existing Nokia devices, including Microsoft's gesture-capable World Flow keyboard, greater customization options (both for Live Tiles and the new-look People Hub), new Nokia photo apps, Office app improvements and, if you live in the US, access to Microsoft's new digital assistant, Cortana.

While the company doesn't state which of its handsets will get the update initially, it does note that the Lumia 1520, Lumia 930 and Lumia Icon will receive support for Nokia Rich Recording and Dolby Digital 5.1 sound. All Lumia handsets will receive a number of camera updates too, which deliver improved color reproduction, better low-light performance, continuous autofocus and improvements to RAW photo capture.


Lumia handsets will get improved Bluetooth 4.0 low-energy support, allowing them to work with fitness wearables and other Bluetooth accessories like Nokia's Treasure Tag. The update also includes a new fitness platform that collects locations, real-time fitness data and other "advanced features" and feeds that information to other Windows Phone apps. Although the update begins rolling out today, Nokia expects its Cyan update to reach all Lumia devices "in the coming weeks." In the meantime, check out the Cyan update page to find out when the update will come to your handset.

Nokia Lumia 930 review

Product Nokia Lumia 930 review

Website http://www.nokia.com/gb-en/phones/phone/lumia930/

Specifications 5in 1080x1920 resolution AMOLED 441ppi touchscreen, quad-core 2.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor, 2GB RAM, 32GB internal storage, 20MP rear-facing camera with optical image stablisation and dual flash, 1.2MP front-facing camera, GSM 850/900/1800/1900, HSDPA 850/900/1900/2100, 4G LTE, 802.11a/b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC, 2,420mAh battery, microUSB port, headphone jack, Windows Phone 8.1 mobile operating system, 137x71x9.8mm, 167g

Price From £33 a month

THE LUMIA 930 likely is the last smartphone we will see out of Nokia, and it's arguably the firm's most widely anticipated Lumia device yet.
As well as arriving as the first flagship Lumia smartphone to run Windows Phone 8.1, the handset eyes the Samsung Galaxy S5 and Sony Xperia Z2 with a 5in Full HD display, a quad-core processor and a 20MP Pureview rear-facing camera.

Design
Much like its predecessor, the Nokia Lumia 925, the Lumia 930 has a metal shell with a plastic backplate, and is available in black, white, green and orange colour variations.



We've been using the orange Lumia 930, perhaps the most garish of the bunch, but undoubtedly the model that will get most heads turning. The handset's metal trim, which features just three buttons - volume, standby and camera - gives the Lumia 930 an all-round premium feel despite its plastic back, and the device feels like it would be able to withstand a fair amount of battering.

There's one major downside to the Lumia 930's design, however, and thats its size. Of course, with a 5in screen, the device is going to be big - but at 167g we found it quite heavy in hand, and at 9.8mm thick it's not the most comfortable of smartphones to use one-handedly.

Screen
Until recently, Windows Phone handsets often lagged behind their Android competitors in the screen department. However, Nokia has upped its game with the Lumia 930, configuring the device with a 5in HD 1080p Clearblack AMOLED display.



With Full HD resolution, and a combination of AMOLED and Nokia's own Clearblack technology, Microsoft's Live Tile interface looks great on the Lumia 930, with blacks appearing blacker than on rival smartphones, and colours arguably more vibrant. The screen is a great size to showcase Windows Phone too, with the 5in display allowing for three columns of Tiles to fit comfortably,
Again, there's a slight downside, as some Windows Phone apps that have not been optimised for the HD 1080p display can look somewhat fuzzy on the screen, a downside not likely to be seen on competing iOS and Android smartphones.


Performance
The Nokia Lumia 930 has a quad-core 2.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor, which - while impressive for a Windows Phone device - is perhaps lacking compared to the newer Snapdragon 801 chip found in the Samsung Galaxy S5 and HTC One M8.

Saying that, we had no complaints regarding performance during our time with the Lumia 930, as we frequently find with Windows Phone handsets, where power often goes further than it would on a device running Google's Android mobile operating system. General performance on the Lumia 930 is impressively smooth - apps open lightening fast, and the handset didn't show any signs of stutter.

Operating system
The Lumia 930 is among the first smartphones, preceeded only by the Lumia 630, to arrive running Microsoft's Windows Phone 8.1 mobile operating system.

Windows Phone 8.1 brings a number of new features to the operating system, including Action Center. Essentially a combination of Apple's Notification Center and quick shortcuts menu, Action Center finally gives Windows Phone a full-fledged notifications menu accessed by swiping down from the top of the screen. What's more, it offers toggles for Bluetooth, Flight Mode and Rotation Lock, eliminating the need to trawl through the Windows Phone Settings Menu.



Another big change is custom wallpapers, allowing you to set backgrounds, rather than selecting just a colour for Live Tiles. While we liked this feature at first, during our time with the Lumia 930, we found that having a custom background could make the user interface seem a little overbearing, and with the wallpaper only showing behind pre-loaded applications, we found that it made the interface look slightly disjointed. Nonetheless, this is likely a feature that many will welcome.

One feature that we did find ourselves using was Microsoft's new Wordflow keyboard. While in practice it doesn't feel quite as slick as Swype or Swiftykey, for example, we found the keyboard impressively accurate, as are Microsoft's suggested next word suggestions.

Unfortunately, Cortana - perhaps Windows Phone 8.1's standout feature - is not yet available in the UK, so we were unable to test this.

Beyond the new features introduced in Windows Phone 8.1, we noticed a definite improvement in apps on the operating system, with most big-name apps making an appearance in the Windows Store. 

However, those switching from iOS and Android might be a bit disappointed, with lesser-known yet popular apps - such as Threes - sadly missing, although you will find plenty of knock-offs.



You'll find the usual array of pre-loaded apps, too, along with a couple of new additions. These include Storage Sense, a feature that allows you to see which apps are taking up the most storage, and WiFi Sense, which automatically connects the Lumia 930 to trusted WiFi hotspots.

Windows Phone 8.1 also introduces a number of new features that likely will be welcomed by business users, including integrated VPN support, password-protected Microsoft Office document support, S/MIME email encryption and enterprise WiFi support.

Camera
The Lumia 930 features a camera setup that's similar to that of the Nokia Lumia 1520. There's a 20MP rear-facing camera, a big improvement on the Lumia 925's 8MP offering, complete with Carl Zeiss optics, dual LED flash and optical image stablisation.

Nokia has become known for its market-leading cameras, and the 20MP camera on the Lumia 930 is no exception, trumping the cameras on most of the other flagship smartphones on the market. Images taken in natural lighting come out full of colour and detail, while the camera also outperforms its competitors in artificial or poor lighting, with the Lumia 930's camera capable of picking up detail that other phones on the market simply cannot manage.



Taken on the Nokia Lumia 930

What's more, despite arriving stuffed full of additional settings and features, such as Nokia's Refocus tool and the ability to adjust settings such as ISO levels and white balance, the camera on the Lumia 930 is especially easy to use, thanks in part to the dedicated camera button.

Battery and storageThe Nokia Lumia 930 packs a 2,420mAh battery under its casing, which Nokia claims will deliver over 15 hours of use. While in general usage - sending emails, browsing the web and so on - you'll likely get a day to a day-and-a-half out of the handset, we found that when gaming and streaming media, battery life can deplete quickly.

Watching an hour long episode on Netflix, for example, saw battery life drain by around 15 percent, which means you'll get just over six hours of video playback from the device. However, the device does come with the added bonus of wireless charging, so it's not as frustrating to charge.

We will continue to test the battery life, and will update this review with more detail.

In terms of storage, the Nokia Lumia 930 comes with 32GB of internal storage, and despite Windows Phone 8.1's support for moving apps to an SD card, there isn't room to expand. However, with 32GB onboard, and 15GB of Microsoft Onedrive storage thrown in, it's unlikely that you'll find yourself falling short.

In ShortThe Nokia Lumia 930 might be our favourite Windows Phone yet. While it has its shortcomings - such as its cumbersome design and not so impressive battery life - the Lumia 930 more than makes up for those with its Full HD screen, smooth performance and market-leading camera. µ

The GoodFun design, Full HD display, smooth performance, great camera, Windows Phone 8.1 adds some useful features, wireless charging support.

The BadBulky, difficult to use with one hand.

The UglyLess than impressive battery life.

Score
8/10 

Lumia 930 release date, price, specs and availability

THE LUMIA 930 is the latest, and perhaps the last flagship smartphone to come out of Nokia, and is among the first handsets to run Microsoft's Windows Phone 8.1 mobile operating system, following in the footsteps of the mid-range Nokia Lumia 630. 

Nokia clearly is hoping that its latest flagship smartphone, thanks to its updated software and top-end specifications, will help it fight off competition from theSamsung Galaxy S5 and Sony Xperia Z2 to boost Windows Phone's UK market share above the 10.1 percent it has managed to claim so far. 

Keep this page bookmarked, as we'll update it whenever we hear more about the Nokia Lumia 930's availability. You can also check out our full Nokia Lumia 930 review. 

Nokia Lumia 930 specs
The Nokia Lumia 930 is the sequel to the Nokia Lumia 925, and it improves on the last year's Windows Phone flagship's specifications.

Chief among the Lumia 930's attributes is Microsoft's Windows Phone 8.1 mobile operating sytem, which adds of number of new features. These include: Microsoft's Siri rival Cortana; a pull-down notifications menu called Action Center; support for on-screen capacitive keys; custom Live Tile backgrounds; a Swype-esque keyboard feature called Work Flow; and WiFi sensing. 

The Nokia Lumia 920's standout feature is its 5in screen, which boasts Full HD 1080x1920 resolution and Nokia's Clearblack display technology, which the firm claims offers 180 degree viewing angles. This display is driven by a quad-core 2.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 chip, which arrives paired with 2GB of RAM.

There's a 20MP camera on the rear of the Lumia 930, a huge improvement compared to the 8MP snapper found on the Lumia 925. Nokia's usual top-end camera features are onboard, including Carl Zeiss optics, optical image stablisation and LED flash. It is also capable of shooting HD 1080p video, and there's also a 1.2MP camera on the front of the device.

Under the bonnet, the Nokia Lumia 930 has a 2,420mAh battery, which the firm claims will offer up to 15.5 hours of talk time and a standby time of up to 18 days. Wireless charging support is also included, and the phone will ship with a free wireless charger.

Other specifications include Bluetooth 4.0, 32GB of internal storage - without a microSD card slot - and support for 4G LTE connectivity.

As for design, the Nokia Lumia 930 measures 137x71x9.8mm and tips the scales at 167g. It is built out of aluminium and polycarbonate plastic, and will be available in four colours: black, white, orange and green.

Nokia Lumia 930 release dateNokia has announced that the Lumia 930 will be released in the UK on 17 July, following reports that it would be released at the beginning of the month. 

The firm has also confirmed that the handset wil not see a US release, with Nokia focusing on the Lumia Icon instead.

Nokia Lumia 930 price and availabilityNokia has revealed official pricing details for the Lumia 930, confirming that it will fetch around £33 a month on contract and adding that it will come with a wireless charger bundled in the box.

What's more, Nokia has announced that those who buy the phone within the first two weeks will receive a launch pack worth £130, which will include a portable wireless speaker, a portable wireless charger and a £20 Windows Store voucher.

Nokia said it currently has no word on SIM-free pricing, with retailers set to decide. 

Unlocked Mobiles was among the first to offer a price for the Nokia Lumia 930, outing the handset's price as £449.98. The Lumia 930 can be pre-ordered from the retailer's website now, ahead of its 17 July shipping date. 

SIM free retailer Expansys has offered up a similar price, and is taking orders for the Lumia 930 at £449.99. 

Carphone Warehouse has started taking Lumia 930 pre-orders. There are tariffs available on the EE, O2 and Vodafone networks, with the cheapest being a 24 month £30.50 Vodafone contract, which comes with a free Lumia 930, 300 minutes, unlimited texts and 250MB of data. For those after more data, O2 is offering unlimited texts, minutes and 1GB of 4G data for £33 a month, while EE is offering 2GB of data for £34.99.

Phones 4u has announced that it will be offering the Lumia 930, and it will also have an exclusive on the white model. Pre-orders are yet to open, but those keen can register their interest in the smartphone on the Phones 4u website. 

Vodafone became the first mobile operator to announce plans to sell the Nokia Lumia 930, having added it to its coming soon page. There is no word on pricing or release date from the network yet.

A holding page over on the O2 website has since revealed that it will also be offering the handset. O2 has yet to announce pricing, but a listing on Google shows it will be available for free on a contract, and will also be offered on pay as you go.

Three has yet to announce whether it will sell the handset, but EE has told The INQUIRER that it will not. µ 

Nokia Lumia 630 Dual SIM review: Ushers in the Windows Phone 8.1 era

The Lumia 630 is Nokia’s launch platform for Windows Phone 8.1. Rather than showcasing their new OS on a flagship phone, they’ve chosen to roll it out on a budget offering. It’s a bold move but it also shows the flexibility of Windows Phone and it’s ability to offer the same user experience despite the hardware. While this has been the case right from day one, it’s only gotten better with 8.1.

 

After having a sneak peek at Windows Phone 8.1 and the Lumia 630 when Microsoft officially unveiled it, we now look at the final build of both hardware and software.

Design and Build

Nokia has launched the dual SIM version of the Lumia 630 first, with the single SIM version yet to arrive. The phone looks like a mash-up between the Nokia X and the Lumia 620. From the front, we have the similar rounded corner look and from the the back, it’s more industrial like the X. The 630 feels rugged and durable just like all the Lumias in this segment.

The display gets a generous bump in size to 4.5 inches from the 4 inches of the Lumia 525. However, the resolution stays the same at 480 x 854. It is an IPS display however, like theLumia 525, and you even get Nokia’s ClearBlack technology and Gorilla Glass 3. The latter two features makes a vast difference in image quality and usability as compared to the Lumia 525 and the Lumia 620.

The 630 also ditches capacitive buttons for on-screen buttons, which takes some getting used to. The phone also lacks a front-facing camera, which is quite disappointing. Underneath, we have a two micro SIM slots, along with a microSD card slot. The 630 supports cards up to 128GB. Only SIM 2 is hot-swappable while the others aren’t. The speaker is placed below it and is really loud for alerts and media playback.

Nokia has omitted two crucial sensors in the 630 – the proximity and ambient light sensor. The former helps turn the display off when you’re on a call while the latter helps automatically adjust the brightness of the display. We’re not sure what warranted this decision but it certainly couldn’t be cost cutting, since some lower-priced phones have this feature.

Features

The IPS panel offers very good viewing angles and colour reproduction for a phone in this segment. Sunlight legibility is also very good. The Lumia 630 is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 chipset – a quad-core SoC with four ARM Cortex-A7 cores and Adreno 305 graphics. This is the same chipset powering the Moto G as well. Despite the minimal 512MB of RAM, the interface is pretty snappy. Slight lag does creep in during some of the animations but nothing that’s a deal breaker.

I also seems as if most of the apps that previously needed 1GB of RAM, are now compatible with 512MB of RAM. You get Temple Run 2 and Asphalt 8: Airborne, which are free to download. The thing about games on the Windows Phone platform is that they look and feel pretty much the same no matter what phone you have. Asphalt obviously runs a lot smoother on the 630 Dual than it did on the 525, thanks to the faster chipset.

Apart from the other enhancements that comes with Windows Phone 8.1, the 630 also gets a new feature called SensorCore. This is available for the Lumia 1520, Lumia 930 and the Lumia 630 and 635. Its essentially a software layer which uses very little power and is constantly collecting data from sensors like GPS, compass, etc. This data is then used by the Bing Health & Fitness app, allowing you to monitor your calories burnt, steps taken, etc. There’s also a SensorCore SDK for developers to implement the APIs in their apps. You need to enable motion data in settings to use SensorCore.

There isn’t much in terms of UI improvements though. The new toggle switches in the notification bar are a nice addition but the app drawer and settings menu are still chaotic as ever. You can activate Cortana as well by simply changing the region and voice search language to US English. If you don’t have a 630, here’s how you can get this feature on any Windows Phone device.

Media

Media playback is handled by the Xbox Music and Video. You also get Nokia’s MixRadio app bundled for streaming music and standard FM Radio as well. Audio quality is good via headphones and the speaker has plenty of oomph even at high volume. We do miss the Dolby enhancement however, which was present on the Lumia 620.

There’s 8GB of onboard storage out of which, about 3.5GB is available for files. You can however, move most of the bundled apps over to the SD card to free up more room.

Connectivity

The Nokia Lumia 630 is a quad-band GSM and dual-band 3G phone. There’s no LTE as that feature is reserved for the Lumia 635, which doesn’t support TDD-LTE anyway, so no love for India. Other features include Wi-Fi ‘n’, Bluetooth v4.0, GPS with GLONASS and USB 2.0. NFC is not present either. You get an individual dialler and messaging app for the two SIM cards, marked 1 and 2. These tiles have different colours by default so you can easily distinguish them.

The new keyboard supports multiple languages at once and it also sports Word Flow, which is a gesture typing system much like the new Google keyboard or Swype. This works very well and keyboard even learns your usage pattern over time.

There are a ton of apps that come bundled along as well like Box TV, Evernote, Facebook, GameHub, Health and Fitness, Line, Office, OneDrive, Paytm, PicsArt and whole bunch of Nokia apps.

Camera

The stock camera app is Nokia Camera, which combines Pro Cam with Cinemagraph. The 5MP auto-focus shooter does a decent job outdoors but under ambient lighting indoors, the quality is pretty average. You also get 720p video recording support. The 630 also ditches the dedicated camera shutter key of the 525, which is a bit disappointing.

Battery life

The boosted 1830mAh battery is pretty stellar in delivering more than a day’s worth of juice. Our 8-hour loop test ended with about 27 percent of battery to spare. One can easily go up to two days without charging it again, under light to moderate usage.

Verdict and Price in India

If you go by the naming convention, the Lumia 630 supersedes the Lumia 620 and is a notch above the Lumia 525. This is exactly how it’s positioned in the market as well. The Lumia 525is moot at its current price point. Nokia needs to drop the price by a couple of thousand for it to be relevant. The Lumia 630 Dual SIM can be found for online and in shops for roughly Rs 11,000. This is very good pricing by Nokia as the 630 delivers a much better package compared to the Lumia 525. We were a bit apprehensive about the 512MB RAM at first but honestly, it really doesn’t make any difference. Sure, you might miss a game or two in the Store but it’s nothing that would ruin your life.

The Lumia 630 Dual is far from perfect. We would have liked a front-facing camera and probably a better sensor for the rear one. The camera shutter key has also gone away. The lack of an ambient light and proximity sensor is also a bit baffling. Thankfully, the latter two missing features aren’t really a deal breaker but it would have been nice to have. In the end, the aggressive pricing from Nokia kind of makes up for some of the 630′s shortcomings.