Microsoft has revealed the Lumia 640 and Lumia 640 XL, two new smartphones in the Lumia range which are aimed at people who want greater flexibility and freedom to choose when and where they get things done in the Windows Phone OS. Both phones are upgradeable to Windows 10, and will be available later this year.
In a competitive marketplace, Microsoft wants to deliver devices at various price points.
- Onboard 1 GB of memory and powerful Qualcomm ® Snapdragon ™ processor featuring quad-core CPU running at 1.2GHz.
- 5 inches HD Display on Lumia 640 or 5.7 inches on Lumia 640 XL.
- 2500 mAh for Lumia 640 and 3000 mAh for Lumia 640 XL.
- 8MP camera on Lumia 640 and 13MP ZEISS optics on Lumia 640 XL. Both feature LED flash, a front-facing camera for Skype video calling, and Lumia Camera software right out of the box.
- The latest build of Windows Phone 8.1 and the Lumia Denim update, complete with one-swipe Action Center, Word Flow and Live Folders. People can also upgrade Lumia 640 and 640 XL to Windows 10 as it becomes available later this year.
- LTE support available on dual-SIM models for the first time. In addition, all dual-SIM models will feature Smart Dual SIM.
Lumia 640 and Lumia 640 XL customers will be able to access new Windows 10 features through the Windows Insider Program, as well as upgrade to Windows 10 later this year. Key features and improvements of Windows 10 include new universal apps such as Office, Mail and Calendar, and Photos; Internet Protocol-based messaging from Skype and others integrated directly into the messaging experience; an entirely new browser with the new Project Spartan browser; and extended integration of the Cortana personal assistant.
It also come with a one-year subscription to Office 365 Personal, which includes the latest Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and OneNote) on the Lumia as well as on one PC or Mac and one tablet, plus 1TB of OneDrive storage, and 60 free minutes of Skype Unlimited Worldwide calling per month.
“Our newest Lumia devices build on our momentum in the affordable smartphones space. With the Lumia 640 and Lumia 640 XL, we continue to make innovation accessible to more people. We have packaged competitive hardware with innovative Windows software and Microsoft services to help you achieve more, wherever and whenever you want.” Jo Harlow, corporate vice president for Phones at Microsoft.
Lumia 640 XL will begin rolling out globally in March and will be available in matte cyan, orange and black, as well as both matte and glossy white. Lumia 640 will be available starting in April and will be available in glossy cyan, orange and white, as well as matte black. Both devices will be available in single-SIM and dual-SIM LTE and dual-SIM 3G variants. Lumia 640 XL will also be available as a single-SIM 3G variant.
Pricing will vary by market and operator; Lumia 640 is estimated to be around 139 euros for the 3G model and 159 euros for the LTE model, before taxes and subsidies. Lumia 640 XL will be around 189 euros for 3G and 219 euros for LTE, before taxes and subsidies.
We had the chance to have a quick hands on the devices at MWC 2015
