14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft's getting ready to take the wraps off two of its most anticipated products ever, the Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL, but the company is actually working on many more mobile phones behind closed doors.
In addition to these two flagships, an alleged Lumia 550 is also in the works and could debut on October 6 too, but at the same time, there's also something at least as exciting that might be launched by Microsoft in early 2016.
WMPU writes that the Redmond-based software giant is working on a new affordable flagship device that might or might not be a successor to the Lumia 830.
What's so special about this new phone? The source claims that it could come with a metallic frame, very similar to Lumia 930, which could indeed help it tackle this affordable flagship market, a trend Microsoft first set with the 830.
Not a flagship
And despite the fact that it could be called an affordable flagship and could come with a metallic frame, the new device won't actually be a high-end model.
Instead, Microsoft wants to use it to expand in the mid-range segment, so it would make sense for the new smartphone to be a direct successor to the 830.
Microsoft's Satya Nadella previously said that Redmond would focus on just three different phone categories, namely value, business (mid-range), and high-end. As you can see, Microsoft's strategy is already taking shape, as the Lumia 950 and 950 XL will join the high-end lineup, the upcoming metallic frame model will be part of the mid-range category, while Lumia 550 could be the new affordable Windows 10 Mobile device wearing a Microsoft logo.
While this hasn't been confirmed so far, it actually makes sense to get a new mid-range device with a somewhat premium feeling, so we look forward to the October 6 event when Microsoft could actually share more information on this project.