Smartphones sure are getting cheaper. With Android competing well under the $300 mark – and we’ve seen them for much, much less – Microsoft’s Windows Phone operating system will also be getting in for people who want a touchscreen experience, with a new Nokia handset arriving this month for either $179 prepaid or $229 unlocked.
The fifth Nokia phone we’ve seen, and barely two weeks since Nokia unveiled a mid-range model hitting stores this month, the Nokia Lumia 520 looks to fill a spot in the market crying out for a cheaper Windows Phone.
“This launch marks another important step for Nokia in delivering Lumia smartphones at every price point to appeal to the widest audience possible,” said Steve Lewis, Nokia’s Managing Director in Australia.
“The Lumia 520 is the most affordable Windows Phone 8 device ever launched in Australia. It will appeal to consumers who are looking to upgrade to a smartphone and want all the benefits without the high price tag, as well as organisations wanting to equip their fleet with the best business phone.”
Nokia’s Lumia 520 will feature a 4 inch IPS screen and will be powered by a 1GHz dual-core chip, 512MB RAM, and include 8GB storage alongside a microSD slot to expand that considerably.
The phone will be 3G only, and will cater to avid photographers with a 5 megapixel rear camera capable of recording video up to 720p.
Pricing will see this phone come in two forms, with an unlocked model available at stores across the country for $229 RRP, while Telstra will receive the phone locked to its prepaid network for $179 on April 30.
It’s an interesting omission, especially since I don’t anticipate this being a high grade camera. Mind you, camera flash is never fantastic on smartphones. Still, odd.