Microsoft overnight announced the Lumia 650, a new Windows 10 smartphone rumoured to be the last to bear "Lumia" branding. Priced at USD$199, the Lumia 650 is a low-to-mid end device predominantly designed for business users.
Key specifications include a quad-core Snapdragon 212 processor, a 5-inch 720p display, 1GB of RAM, 16GB of expandable storage, a 2,000mAh battery, and an 8MP rear-facing camera. Unsurprisingly, the Lumia 650 doesn't have the processing power to support Continuum, a Windows 10 exclusive feature that effectively allows smartphones to act as desktop PCs.
Despite the entry-level hardware and affordable price-point, Microsoft has opted to give the Lumia 650 an aluminium frame – a design feature absent in the higher end Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL.
Microsoft Australia says the Lumia 650 will see a local launch, but pricing and availability have yet to be confirmed. After factoring in exchange rates and GST, a local price of around AUD$300 seems plausible.
Previous rumours have suggested that the Lumia 650 will be Microsoft's last "Lumia" device, and that the unnanounced Lumia 750 and Lumia 850 have both been abandoned to focus on the development of what's been dubbed the "Surface Phone".
Rumours of a new high-end Windows smartphone led by Surface Chief Panos Panay sprung up late last year. Little is known about the device at present, but the same team of engineers who build the Surface Pro and Surface Book are said to be working on the new flagship Windows-powered smartphone.
If Microsoft is now operating on a yearly schedule, the device could very well be announced alongside new Surface hardware this October.
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