Microsoft Launches Nokia X2 Dual SIM Smartphone
by Brett Howse on June 24, 2014 6:30 PM EST- Posted in
- Smartphones
- Microsoft
- Nokia
- Mobile
Today Microsoft announced a second iteration of the Nokia X family of low end smartphones they first announced at Mobile World Congress earlier this year. The new device is the Nokia X2 Dual SIM, and is a slightly higher specification device than the original Nokia X device announced in February.
First, the display is slightly improved with the addition of Nokia’s ClearBlack polarization technology which Brian Klug covered in his review of the Lumia 900. ClearBlack helps with blacks as well as outdoor viewing by using polarization and several layers to reduce reflections on the display. It can make an mediocre display look OK, and a good display look great, at least in my experience. This ClearBlack technology is outfitted onto the 4.3” 800x480 resolution display of the new X2.
Also improved is the SoC. The original Nokia X was based on a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4, and the new device bumps it up to a current generation dual-core Snapdragon 200. In addition, the X2 trumps both the original X and the larger XL devices with 1 GB of RAM, however it keeps the same amount of storage as the other devices in the line with a small 4 GB but does support expansion with up to 32 GB of microSD.
The camera is also bumped up from the X which had a 3 MP fixed focus camera. The X2 has a 5 MP autofocus model with f/2.7 and a LED flash. Camera size is 1/4 inch so it’s unlikely this camera will be very effective in dim scenarios, but with the flash it should at least take some sort of picture. There is also a Front Facing Camera - a bonus over the original X, but it is only VGA resolution.
On the software side, the Nokia platform has been revved to “Nokia X software platform 2.0” with this release which offers enhancements to the user interface such as a Windows Phone-esque alphabetical app list, a new home key, and a pull-down notification screen. While an update is scheduled for existing devices, the software platform 2.0 will not be available on the older X and XL models due to hardware limitations of those devices.
Nokia X Series | ||||||
Nokia X | Nokia X2 | Nokia XL | ||||
Display | 4" 800x480 | 4.3" 800x480 with ClearBlack | 5" 800x480 | |||
SoC | Snapdragon S4 (dual-core 1 GHz) | Snapdragon 200 (dual-core 1.2 GHz) | Snapdragon S4 (dual-core 1 GHz) | |||
Memory | 512 MB | 1 GB | 768 MB | |||
Storage | 4 GB | 4 GB | 4 GB | |||
Camera |
3 MP Fixed Focus 1/5 inch No FFC, No FLash |
5 MP Auto Focus 1/4 inch VGA FFC, LED FLash |
5 MP Auto Focus 1/4 inch UXGA FFC, LED FLash |
|||
Weight | 129 g | 150 g | 190 g | |||
Battery | 1500 mAh 3.7 V (5.55 Wh) | 1800 mAh 3.8 V (6.84 Wh) | 2000 mAh 3.7 V (7.4 Wh) |
As for the actual device, it’s going to be available in Black, White, Yellow, Green, Orange, and Grey with an “Inner Glow” outer clear coat. The device goes on sale in July with an expected MSRP of €99 (around $135 USD).
We weren’t really sure what was going to happen to the X Line with the Microsoft acquisition, but at least one more device has now launched so obviously there is some internal support for AOSP with Microsoft services. It’s likely this device was already in the pipeline prior to the acquisition, so we’ll have to wait and see if any other Android based devices find their way out of Microsoft. It will be interesting to see if we ever get any sales numbers on the X line vs the low end Windows Phone line (Lumia 520, 630, etc) because all of the X line phones have come in at or around the same price as the Lumias. We’ll have to wait and see at the next financial call if any of the numbers are broken out, but I wouldn’t count on it.
Source: Nokia
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Brett Howse - Tuesday, June 24, 2014 - link
Well it is available on the Lumia 630 so it is definitely on the radar. It would have been a bit of work to add to the OS so it will likely get used but not sure on what range of devices.jmunjr - Wednesday, June 25, 2014 - link
Curious why there is nothing written about the dual sim feature of the phone. That's something I could use. A lot of people don't want two phones...Daniel Egger - Sunday, June 29, 2014 - link
There's lots of information missing in this short overview, like the use of an MSM8210 (2xCortex A7, Adreno 302, 28nm LP) vs. MSM8225 (2xCortex A5, Adreno 203, 45nm), BT 4.0 instead of 3.0 and faster mobile network. The only thing I'm worried about is less standby time despite smaller structures and larger battery... Other than this nit the phone looks like something I might actually buy thanks to acceptable size and run time, Dual SIM, good connectivity and general features and of course Here Maps. Despite some of the comments I think not being tied in to Google Spyware is a feature, rather than a bug.johnh3 - Monday, June 30, 2014 - link
Nokia got a program for Android developers who want to port their current Android to the Nokia X Store, I think it was already 2000 apps there for some months ago when the first Nokia X was launced, and it have grove a lot since that time. I think maybe around 10.000 now.http://developer.nokia.com/nokia-x
Beside that you can Yandex Store that got around 100.000 apps. I think it was a Chinese app store you can add also. So the app selection are not so limited as many seems to think.
And in many markets (where they will sell X2) Google services are not so known as in US and Europe.
So they probably will just use the Microsoft services "out of the box" so to speak.
Nokia HERE maps and so on..