Nokia and Microsoft have made hardly any news after their high profile launch of the Nokia Lumia range in the last quarter of 2011 with the Lumia 800 and Lumia 710. Windows phones have made quite a ruffle in Europe and have gained significantly in the last year with a growth of 156% jumping from 2.2% to 4.1% of the market share in the first quarter. However, it will still need significant expansion in its line up to really make an impact in the smartphone industry. The news has trickled down the Blog networks that the new Nokia Lumia 610 may be launched with much fanfare in next few months at a price range of around Rs.11,000 (expected to be lower online). At 10 to 11K price range and with decent specs, can the Lumia 610 make the same impact made by Samsung Galaxy Y in India last year? Will Lumia 610 finally make Windows an attractive option for the average smartphone user?
The perfect package
The phone clearly draws upon the advantages of both Windows and Nokia in creating a perfect amalgamation of hardware and software to create a more than premium experience for a lower mid-range smartphone. The phone comes with a 3.7” display, 800 MHz processor and 8GB internal memory, encased in an elegant body with a sleek finish and comes in multiple colour options to suit the user’s fashion sensibilities. Not many Android phones out there can boast of the same. With the Carl Zeiss Lens on a 5MP camera, the phone promises to provide one of the best cameras out there in similar price range. Add to this the Nokia’s coveted Nokia Drive, Nokia Maps and Nokia Transit apps and the phone really provides something even staunch Android users would want to own. Windows 7.5 Tango with its live tiles definitely adds to the phone a premium appeal.
Stand apart from the crowd
This is where Nokia Lumia 610 will make many fans. If you are a typical smartphone user with the run on the mill Android device, you are sure to feel a little let down at not being able to differentiate from the other users. Just about every phone looks like yours and has just a slight difference in specs. With a Windows phone, the user feels entirely set apart from the crowd. The user interaction as well as the look and feel of the phone is significantly better as well. Granted Android still has significant advantage in terms of number of Apps, however the Nokia Lumia 610 is definitely a wise purchase for an entry level buyer looking to stand apart.
Pricing
Rs. 10,000 price range is where the momentum starts building in. Lumia 610 is expected to retail at this price range within couple of months within its launch. At this price point and with its superior specs, Lumia 610 clearly beats the likes of Samsung Galaxy Y, HTC Explorer and even higher priced Samsung Galaxy Ace on most counts. With the 5MP camera, a 3.7” Display and 800MHz processor, the phone stands apart from the crowd simply on its specs. Its biggest flaw however would probably be the lack of a front camera or lower RAM that it may not support Angry Birds. However Rovio has assured it will be fixed soon. While this is certainly a let-down, pricing of the phone makes it immune to comparisons to Android phones. All similar priced Androids lack a secondary camera and hence the phone should definitely be on top of every entry level smartphone buyer’s list.
Lumia 610: The Galaxy Y of Windows
Although the phone is far from perfect, its blends in the best of Nokia’s hardware and design ingenuity with the capabilities of Windows 7.5 OS. We believe that the phone can hit the sub 10K price point couple of months after its launch. This is when it can really break some ice for Nokia and Windows Phone. While it will be tough to see a Nokia Windows phone retailing in range of Rs.7000 at least for next 1 year, anything below Rs.10,000 will give a solid chance to Nokia to create the same magic as what Samsung Galaxy Y did for Androids. Nokia Lumia 610 will also greatly benefit from the high brand loyalty that Nokia enjoys among mid and lower range feature phone users and should be the first priority among them when they upgrade to a smartphone. Even Nokia understands this pretty well and it is clearly evident from Nokia CEO Stephen Elop’s recent statements “We need to compete with Android aggressively”; “The low-end price point war is an important part of that”; “We had plans already to go lower than the 610″. Nokia Lumia 610 definitely has the potential to provide the same kind of momentum in Nokia’s growth as what Samsung Galaxy Y did for Samsung. Let’s see how soon we can lay our hands on that sub 10K Windows Smartphone.
This is a guest post by Sulakshan who is Co-Founder of MySmartPrice.com, a site which helps your find the best price for Mobiles, Books, Games, Computers, and Appliances etc.
