Just two years ago, people didn’t really take Windows Phone seriously – and even found it strange that a company like Nokia would be pushing so hard for the platform. Today, it’s a different story – Windows is rapidly winning positions on the mobile market, becoming better and better with each installment, and lately, the situation has reached the point where critics have started to recommend Lumia phones over iPhones and the various Android offerings. Now, there’s yet another reason for Nokia fans to be happy.
Ever since Microsoft took over, they have somewhat changed the company’s approach to the market. Now, the new goal is to cover every market segment adequately, including the low end where people aren’t willing to pay a lot of money. The company’s latest offer in this area, the Lumia 530, may be the ideal phone for people who don’t want to spend a lot of money, yet want something powerful that can fit in their pockets.
The Lumia 530 offers good hardware capabilities, including a Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 CPU running at 1.2 GHz, a 5 megapixel back camera, and a 4” display. It comes with Windows 8.1 and is eligible for all future updates (as of now). Those who have been using Windows Phone recently should know that this already looks like a good offer – but once the price tag of just under $50 is added to the picture, this device becomes a clear winner.
This is precisely the point, too – the Lumia 530 is Microsoft’s main entry into the budget market, and the company is hoping to attract those who haven’t yet made the switch to a smartphone, but don’t want to spend too much on one either. Don’t let the low price fool you – for this, you’re getting everything Windows Phone is capable of. Users will have full access to the latest apps available on the platform, as well as the most recent OS updates released by Microsoft.
And, since it’s Windows Mobile, it actually works pretty smoothly even on low-end hardware like this. Menus are fast and responsive, and the simple interface means that you’ll never have to spend a lot of time searching for the options that you need. With the coming updates for Windows Phone taken into consideration as well, the OS is shaping up to be the best offer on the smartphone market at the moment. Those of you who’re still using an old, regular phone, may seriously want to reconsider once they see the Lumia 530 with their own eyes. This is a phone that has a serious potential to shift the low end of the market, so it would be curious to see how things develop in the coming months.