Microsoft’s only handset offerings at this year’s Mobile World Congress in Barcelona were the Lumia 640 and 640 XL, the latest in the company’s mid-priced segment designed to attract emerging market customers buying their first smartphone.
As the name suggests, the 640 XL is the larger of the two devices, its whopping 5.7-inch display placing it firmly in the “phablet” segment.
Available in the UAE since March, it retails for Dh799, less than a third of the price of Apple's 5.5 inch iPhone 6 Plus.
The 640 XL looks and feels very much like a mid-range device, its screen offset by a plastic cover (available in white, cyan, black and orange) that stretches over its back and sides. While it will never match the design aesthetics of its more expensive peers, it has a perfectly passable solid and sturdy feel.
Microsoft has not scrimped on the camera; the 640 XL's rear-facing camera has the same 13MP specs as the LG G3, while its 5MP front-facing camera is, on paper at least, more powerful that many handsets more than double its price.
Entry level smartphones are typically distinguished by unremarkable screens and a less than zippy user experience.
The 640 XL's display offers a better than average performance than its peers; while it will never match the likes of the LG G3 or Samsung Note 4 for wow factor, its IPS LCD display offers a resolution in line with competitors such as the Motorola Moto G.
Its user experience is not quite as good as the Moto G; the camera shutter often lags slightly, and video performance at times was noticeably jerky. However, the 640 XL's overall experience is a marked improvement on its predecessor, last year's Nokia XL, offering a far smoother smartphone experience.
The 640 XL is not going to win any design awards, and its all- round performance is still not quite up to par with the Moto G. But it’s a decent choice for those wanting a large-screen device without the top dollar price tag.
q&a opening wider windows
John Everington reveals more about Microsoft’s new 640 XL:
What about the non-XL version of the 640?
Much the same as its larger cousin, only it has a 5-inch display, and will start from around Dh570. Like the XL, it’s a dual-SIM phone with a MicroSD slot for extra storage.
Why did Microsoft focus on entry level phones at this year’s Mobile World Congress, when the likes of Samsung and HTC were launching more expensive products?
Broadly speaking their rationale is to try to build a brand relationship with customers in emerging markets looking to buy their first, cheaper smartphone, then gradually upsell to more expensive devices later on.
Is this strategy working?
Well, handsets running Windows Phone increased by 4.2 per cent year on year in the fourth quarter of last year. But such an increase was pretty puny compared to Android and iOS. Windows Phone’s market share fell to 2.8 per cent of shipments from 3 per cent a year earlier.
Will they give the higher-priced market another crack?
Microsoft will unleash Windows 10 this year, which has been designed to seamlessly work across PCs, tablets and smartphones.
But what if I’ve bought a Lumia 640 XL by the time Windows 10 comes out?
Fret not, for Microsoft have promised that the handset and its smaller cousin will be able to run Windows 10.
jeverington@thenational.ae
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