Microsoft’s new Lumia 430 Dual SIM costs just US$70

19 Mar 2015

At US$70, Microsoft’s latest smartphone is cheaper than you probably thought possible. The Lumia 430 Dual SIM is even Windows 10-ready.

The main drawback for the phone is the camera is quite poor, with just a 2MP fixed focus, as well as a front-facing 0.3MP VGA.

However, the price and dual SIM capability is clearly targeted, with the phone available in the Asia-Pacific region, IMEA, Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine and Belarus from April.

Indeed at US$70 it’s difficult to see where a consumer can go wrong.

It comes in bright orange or black, has a 4-inch display, and is powered by a 1.2 GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor. It has 8GB of storage, with an extra 30GB OneDrive (15GB on OneDrive sign up and the same again when the camera roll backup is activated).

Skype is already integrated, with Windows Phone 8.1 pre-installed before any Windows 10 upgrades become available later this year. This is key as there’s a growing trend of bundling software services with phones.

Nokia Lumia 430

Nokia Lumia 430 Dual SIM costs just US$70

Microsoft, for example, is partnering with Xiaomi to do something similar, getting Windows 10 out in the wild, adding significant value to the Chinese manufacturer’s cheap smartphones.

Windows represents just 2.7pc of the world’s smartphone operating systems, losing ground to iOS and Android even as it ships more products.

Clearly placing focus away from the mature smartphone markets of Europe and the US, Microsoft is gambling on price being key.

“People around the world have responded enthusiastically to our affordable Lumia range,” said Jo Harlow, Microsoft’s corporate vice-president.

“We continue to invest in this segment to ensure that as many people as possible can enjoy signature Microsoft experiences, regardless of budget.

“The Lumia 430 Dual SIM continues our commitment to combining the right hardware, software, services and apps with the right price to give people a smartphone they can afford and be proud to use.”

Gordon Hunt was a journalist with Silicon Republic

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