The smartphone is powered by the same forked Android platform

Jun 24, 2014 07:11 GMT  ·  By

As expected, Microsoft has taken the wraps off the next X family member, the Nokia X2. The sequel to Nokia’s first Android smartphone comes with slightly upgraded specs and the same forked version of Android where Google services are replaced with Nokia’s.

According to Microsoft, Nokia X2 will be available for purchase beginning July for only €99 ($135) outright. Only the dual-SIM version will be released initially, but a single-SIM model might be launched on the market later on.

It’s also worth mentioning that the smartphone will be initially available in glossy green, orange and black colors, but additional options will be added later on, such as glossy yellow, white and matt dark grey.

The main highlight of the Nokia X2 is the slightly more powerful 1.2GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 processor, which is complemented by 1GB of RAM. The previous Nokia X model only packed 512MB RAM, which was a bit of a disappointment for Android fans.

Another upgrade from its predecessor is the 4.3-inch ClearBlack capacitive touchscreen display that supports 800 x 480 pixels resolution. On the back, the smartphone packs a 5-megapixel photo snapper with autofocus and LED flash, while in the front, there’s a secondary VGA camera for video calls.

Software-wise, there aren’t too many surprises, as Nokia X2 is powered by the same forked Android version that also runs on the Nokia X. This means that users won’t have access to any kind of Google services, as Microsoft replaced them with its own and Nokia’s.

However, according to Microsoft, the X2 comes with the next-generation Nokia X Software Platform 2.0 and major improvements to the user interface.

Nokia X2
Nokia X2
Nokia X2 owners will now be able to choose from three different types of screens for easier navigation. A new home key and visual multitasking have been added as well, along with a pull-down notifications tab that allows users to glance at connectivity options and other actionable items.

The smartphone has been confirmed to come with several important pre-loaded applications, such as Skype, OneDrive and Outlook.com, but more can be downloaded via Nokia Store, including Bing Search.

There are two new services offered by Nokia X2, which weren’t available on any previous X family smartphone: OneNote and Yammer.

With OneNote, users will be able to create notes and save them to the cloud via OneDrive, while Yammer “makes collaborating with people online as easy as posting to a social network.”

New apps and games will be available for the X2 via Nokia Store, including LINE Ranger, Brewster and Findery, Instagram, WeChat, Skype, Benji Bananas Adventures and others.

“The Nokia X family is going from strength to strength, with the Nokia X smartphone achieving top-selling status in Pakistan, Russia, Kenya and Nigeria, while earning the third-best-selling smartphone spot in India.

The Nokia X2 elevates the Nokia X experience with a stellar new design, ease of use and new Microsoft experiences. We’re proud to continue to bring smartphone innovation to lower and lower price points,” said Timo Toikkanen, head of mobile phones, Microsoft Devices Group.

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Nokia X2
Nokia X2
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