During the day 1 keynote at the Microsoft BUILD developer’s conference, Stephen Elop took the stage to announce some new Nokia Lumia phones with Windows Phone 8.1.

First up was the new Lumia 930. The Lumia 930 is a 5” 1080p phone, with a 20 Megapixel PureView camera with OIS, Snapdragon 800 2.2 GHz SoC, 2 GB of RAM, 32 GB of storage, and Qi wireless charging. This new phone is actually the recently released Lumia Icon rebranded, and pre-loaded with Windows Phone 8.1. Availability of the device is going to start with Europe in June, and move out from there. The announced price point is $599 USD off contract. This phone doesn’t look like it will be launched in the USA anytime soon, since Verizon has an exclusive arrangement with Nokia for the rebranded Icon.

New Lumia Comparison
  Nokia Lumia 930 Nokia Lumia 630 Nokia Lumia 635
SoC 2.2 GHz Snapdragon 800 (Quad Core Krait) 1.2GHz Snapdragon 400 (Quad Core Cortex-A7) 1.2GHz Snapdragon 400 (Quad Core Cortex-A7)
RAM 2GB 512MB 512MB
NAND 32GB NAND 8GB NAND with microSD slot 8GB NAND with microSD slot
Screen 5" 1920x1080 4.5" 854x480 4.5" 854x480
Network 2G/3G/4G LTE 2G/3G (Dual-Sim Optional) 2G/3G/4G LTE
Price N/A in North America $159/$169 $189

Windows Phone has been much more successful with the lower end of the market, and to serve this market, Elop announced the Lumia 630, and 635.

Spec wise, the 630 is decidedly low end, 4.5” 854 x 480 smartphone. It comes with a Snapdragon 400 1.2 GHz quad core SoC, 512 MB of RAM, and 8 GB of onboard storage, and no LTE support. Even though the storage is low, it does support MicroSD cards, and Windows Phone 8.1 looks like it will have even better support for expandable storage than Windows Phone 8 did, so the small storage should not cause too many issues. The low 512 MB of RAM will restrict the apps that can run on the device, just as it does for current devices with the same memory.

A new feature to Windows Phone for the 630 is Dual SIM support. Although not used much in North America, it is popular in many countries and will open this low cost device up to those markets. Dual SIM looks fairly well done, with different color tiles for different SIMs if you want, or you can link the tiles for both SIMs together much like the linked inbox. Dialing can be set per contact as to which SIM you want to use as well.

The 635 is identical to the 630 in every way, other than LTE support (bands 3, 7, and 20).

Also discussed is a new “Sensor Core” which, like many phones being announced recently, is a way to track movement for health and fitness apps.

The 630 and 635 will be the first Windows Phone 8.1 devices sold, and will go on sale in May in Asia, moving across India and Europe with North American availability beginning in July.

Prices are starting at $159 for a single SIM 630, moving up a staggering $10 to $169 for the dual SIM version. The 635 with LTE has a MSRP of $189. Local subsidies may apply, so we’ll have to see how the actual street price lands.

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  • Sushisamurai - Friday, April 4, 2014 - link

    Yeah, Nokia seriously needs an updated SOC for the 1020 - I'd pick it up then. I never appreciated how the 1020 and 808 always lagged behind in terms of SOC.

    They should also bring back USB OTG and more internal storage options (32-64 GB internal is ideal now). If they only had a high end and more carrier options. I'd buy a phone outright just for 1020's camera... *sighs*
  • perseid - Friday, April 4, 2014 - link

    Does anyone know what the successor to the Lumia 1520 is?
  • Myrandex - Friday, April 4, 2014 - link

    I think the 1520 will be around for quite some time. The internals pretty much match the 930 anyways.
  • HardwareDufus - Friday, April 4, 2014 - link

    Totally bummed the high end 930 didn't get DSDA capability. (It's supported in the SOC).

    Guess we will wait for the 1520 replacement to give us all the goodies of 930, 6" screen, DSDA and keep the microSD.
  • kyuu - Sunday, April 6, 2014 - link

    The heck is DSDA?
  • HardwareDufus - Sunday, April 6, 2014 - link

    DualSimDualActive. It allows your Phone to have two different numbers/carriers at the same time.

    3 useful scenarios:
    1. People who live near borders and have a plan for each country (me)
    2. People who like to have the same phone for Business and Personal Use.
    3. Multiple service plans (apparently this is popular in the Far East??)

    Most people have no appreciation for this feature... but when you've lived/worked across borders for 8+ years like me... you get tired of having two fones, or always doing the SIM Chip Swap. I was in Upstate NY last week and literally dropped my Mexican TelCel SIM chip after I pulled it out to stick in my AT&T chip. I just returned home, so tomorrow I have to visit the TelCel store to get a new one for my existing contract/phonenumber.
  • whatsa - Monday, April 7, 2014 - link

    Not quite right on the 930 to Icon
    32 gig to 16 gig
    Icon doesn't have wireless charging

    So it anything the 930 is the more iconic icon?
  • Brakken - Friday, May 30, 2014 - link

    Seeing 8.1 on that 930 actually made me want to switch! I'm really impressed with how MS is developing a truely unique and creative and different smartphone! I guess they are showing Google how to do it right. I mean, $10b loss with Motorola has gotta hurt! I can't wait until MS gets all their apps up and running... but when?!

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