Microsoft on Wednesday announced another from the budget phone segment, in fact two. Lumia 435 and Lumia 532. These two phones mark one; the entry of the 400 series in Lumia Windows phone and two; the further trimming of the price for Windows Phone. And they didn’t exactly do huge compromises in the specs sheet.
Both Lumia 435 and Lumia 532 look like Nokia X and Nokia X2 respectively but with a new soul of Windows phone. The designs are similar, including the removable shells, flat sides and a shiny cover for one of them, Lumia 532. Now what these two seek to fill is the gap left about by the dropped Nokia X and Asha phones. Lumia 532 and Lumia 435 come almost conveniently at around the same time Microsoft announced their first Android phone last year, take a few days.
Microsoft has had quite a journey in achieving their promise to get affordable smartphones in markets where they are needed at the same time competing with rival platform Android in getting there. This was one key message in the 4Afrika initiative that sought to get computing accessible to millions in emerging markets. Well, we finally have a USD 89 smartphone running Windows. I know Android and Firefox would laugh at this fete, but it’s better late than never.
So what do the two bring to the table?
| Lumia 435 | Lumia 532 | |
| Dimensions | 118.1 x 64.7 x 11.7 | 118.9 x 65.5 x 11.6 |
| Display | 4”WVGA LCD 800×480 pixels | 4” WVGA LCD 800×480 pixels |
| Processor | 1.2 GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 processor | 1.2 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 processor |
| Memory | 8GB Internal memory + micro SD slot (up to 128GB), 1GB RAM | 8GB Internal memory + micro SD slot (up to 128GB), 1GB RAM |
| Camera | Rear: 2 MP FF,No Flash:
VGA Front |
Rear: 5 MP FF,No Flash:
VGA Front |
| OS | Windows Phone 8.1 with Lumia Denim | Windows Phone 8.1 with Lumia Denim |
| Battery | 1560 mAh | 1560 mAh |
| Connectivity | A-GPS/GLONASS, WIFI (2.4 GHz)
b/g/n, microUSB, BT 4.0/Micro SIM |
A-GPS/GLONASS, WIFI (2.4 GHz)
b/g/n, microUSB, BT 4.0/Micro SIM |
| Network | GSM/EDGE: 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
WCDMA: Band 1 (2100 MHz), Band 2 (1900 MHz), Band 5 (850 MHz), Band 8 (900 MHz) |
GSM/EDGE: 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
WCDMA: Band 1 (2100 MHz), Band 2 (1900 MHz), Band 5 (850 MHz), Band 8 (900 MHz) |
| Colours | White, Black, Green, Orange | White, Black, Green, Orange |
Both Lumia 435 and Lumia 532 start selling from February in Europe, Asia Pacific, India, Middle East and Africa with prices at an estimate of EUR 69 (Kshs 7400) and EUR 79 (Kshs 8500), of course these are not fixed prices. The two sit pretty at the bottom of the food chain with Lumia 532 getting the better of Lumia 530 with more RAM on board while Lumia 435 being the guy at the bottom of the rope. The two are also Microsoft’s second and third Microsoft branded Windows phone after Lumia 535.
