Microsoft Launches Budget-Friendly Smartphone Lumia 430 - Analyst Blog

Zacks Equity Research
Updated

Software developer Microsoft Corporation MSFT has introduced another entry-level smartphone — Microsoft Lumia 430 — with an expected price tag of $70. The phone will first be launched in the Middle East, Africa, Asia-Pacific, India, Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus in April.

Lumia 430 will offer more budget-friendly, powerful and innovative smartphone choices to customers. Operating on the latest Windows Phone 8.1 operating system (OS), powered by Qualcomm’s QCOM Snapdragon processor and with a 4-inch WVGA display, the phone is preloaded with Microsoft Office, Skype, OneDrive and can be upgrade to Windows 10.

With a screen resolution of 800×480, the phone will be available in two colors — bright orange and black — and have two SIM card slots. Microsoft’s continuous efforts to launch affordable handsets will help the company push its Windows Phone OS, thereby increasing its market share.

Microsoft is trying to expand its user base by offering economical devices. In January, it launched two affordable smartphones — Microsoft Lumia 435 and Lumia 532 — priced within 69 to 79 euro, ($81 to $93) pre-tax. The company is also trying to increase its market share in the global smartphone market as Windows Phone still has a considerably lower market share compared with Apple’s AAPL iOS and Google’s GOOGL Android mobile platforms.

So we need to wait and see whether the company’s initiatives to draw customers and gain traction in the entry-level mobile phone market and global smartphone market pay off.

Microsoft shares currently carry a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell).


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