A new affordable phone was introduced on Wednesday by Microsoft. Priced at $55, the Nokia 230 offers a straightforward interface and an aluminum back cover.
Engadget notes that because the new device is geared toward the developing market, buyers should not expect impressive specs because it was not designed to compete with the iPhone and other flagships. The device has a 2.8-inch QVGA (320 x 240) screen, 2-megapixel front camera and support for up to 32GB of external storage through microSD.
The tech website stresses that the front shooter is a recognition that selfies are important to phone owners, whether their units are expensive or not. Although the phone has been referred to as a "dumbphone," the Nokia 230 has the capability to handle a lot of services that gadget owners appreciate.
These include Twitter, Bing Search, Facebook, MSN Weather and the Mini Browser, the data saving feature of Opera. It also offers dual-SIM that's why the device is called Nokia 230 Dual SIM, in recognition that users with tight budgets often swap phones or networks often.
It appears physically different from the 2014 Microsoft model Nokia 130. The device, which runs on the Nokia Series 30+ OS, has a touchscreen and physical buttons, reports Venturebeats.
Microsoft would ship the Nokia 230 in December to India, Asia and the Middle East where affordable phones are in-demand. By 2016, Microsoft would make the phone available to other countries outside the three regions.
The Nokia 230, though, is not Microsoft's cheapest one. The lowest-priced device is the Nokia 215 feature phone which costs $29.