Microsoft has announced the first Lumia device post-Nokia acquisition, three days after CEO Satya Nadella announced 18,000 jobs cuts, mostly in the Nokia branch.
The Lumia 530 is another low-end Windows Phone, a strategy Microsoft will continue to implement. Microsoft said developing countries would be the key target for Nokia phones, moving away from the high-end smartphones in 2012 and 2013.
Internally, the Lumia 530 runs a 1.2GHz quad-core Snapdragon 200 processor, 512MB of RAM, 4GB of internal storage with micro-SD storage for another 128GB. Nokia also offers out 15GB of free cloud storage, through SkyDrive.
The design of the device looks similar to every other low-end Lumia device, the multicolored polycarbonate back with the minimal appearance on the front. The Lumia 530 is a bit fatter than some other options, with a curved back.
Nokia has added a 4-inch 854 x 480 LCD display onto the Lumia 530, a little bit sad to see such a low resolution, while the Moto G and Moto E can offer higher resolution at the same price point.
Battery life is one of those features that goes up as the phone gets lower-end specs, Nokia claims 10 hours on 3G and around 50 hours music playback time. We will still have to test it for ourselves, before giving a good recommendation.
Microsoft’s key market for Windows Phone is the low-end, the Lumia 520 and 521 make up 50 percent of the WP market on their own. Nokia is unlikely to make another high-end Lumia device in a while, until Microsoft can recuperate losses.
The Lumia 530 will be available in Europe and Asia for around £80. This is another below £100 off contract smartphones with a lot going for it, but in developing nations like India and China, it seems like Windows Phone is not the favorite.
