14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has already teased the release of its very first Microsoft Lumia device this week, but little is known about the upcoming handset which is expected to officially mark the end of the Nokia brand in Redmond's lineup.
And still, lots of details about this particular project landed through unofficial channels, and now thanks to Chinese media, we also have the very first photos showing the upcoming Microsoft Lumia phone in all its glory.
The device comes with the signature Lumia design, but it's very important to note that this is the first smartphone that comes with the Microsoft branding on both the front and the back, so the technology giant is finally ready to mark the beginning of a new chapter in its smartphone history.
As reported by WindowsCentral, the pictures you can see in the photo gallery below have been published on Tieba, a community forum in China, which is actually one of the countries that could receive this very first Microsoft Lumia phone.
Rumored specs
Sources indicated that this new Lumia phone could actually hit the market as Lumia 535 and might represent another attempt of the Redmond-based firm at the affordable smartphone market.
As a result, the device might only arrive in specific countries, such as China and India, specifically to compete against cheap Android devices that are already experiencing strong sales. The Lumia 535 could thus be available with a very tempting price, with some pointing to a $100 (75 euro) price tag without a contract.
Leaked Lumia 535 specifications which landed in the last couple of weeks also indicated some pretty decent capabilities for this affordable smartphone which would run the new Windows Phone 8.1 with Denim update.
The device is expected to feature a 5-inch qHD display with a resolution of 960x540 pixels and a Snapdragon 200 processor with a speed of 1.2 GHz. At the same time, Microsoft equipped the phone with 1 GB of RAM and 8 GB of internal storage space, but there's still no indication if microSD card support would also be offered or not.
At the same time, the Lumia 535 could feature a 5-megapixel camera and a VGA one on the front for video calls on Skype and other supported apps. A 1,900 mAh battery would be offered to provide approximately 2 full days of normal use.
The new Lumia 535 is very likely to be unveiled next week, while sales are expected to begin before Christmas, in order to debut with strong sales from the very beginning thanks to the shoppers' growing appetite for new phones during the holiday season.
