Skip to main content

The context you need, when you need it

When news breaks, you need to understand what actually matters — and what to do about it. At Vox, our mission to help you make sense of the world has never been more vital. But we can’t do it on our own.

We rely on readers like you to fund our journalism. Will you support our work and become a Vox Member today?

Join now

Microsoft Unveils Midrange Lumia 640, 640 XL, No Flagship Model Till End of Year

The smartphone announcements continue at MWC.

Microsoft

After jumping the gun yesterday, Microsoft officially introduced its latest Windows Phone devices, the Lumia 640 and Lumia 640 XL, at a press event in Barcelona on Monday.

The midrange Lumia 640 features a five-inch, 720p touchscreen, a rear eight-megapixel camera and front-facing one-megapixel camera. Meanwhile, the Lumia 640 XL offers a larger 5.7-inch, 720p touchscreen and has a 13-megapixel main camera and front-facing five-megapixel camera.

Both are powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 400 processor and have eight gigabytes of onboard storage (with a microSD card slot) and 1GB of RAM.

They’ll ship running Windows Phone 8.1 with a one-year subscription to Office 365 Personal, and will be upgradeable to Windows 10 when the new operating system is launched later this year.

Those looking for a more high-end model will have to cool their jets. Microsoft said it is waiting till the second half of the year to launch a flagship device in order to give Windows 10 some time to mature.

The Lumia 640 XL will be available starting in March for around $155 unlocked for the 3G model and $177 for the 4G LTE version. The Lumia 640 will launch a month later and cost around $211 (3G) and $244 (LTE). So far, T-Mobile and MetroPCS have announced that it will carry the Lumia 640 this spring. AT&T will also offer the Lumia 640 and will be the initial exclusive partner for the Lumia 640 XL. Pricing details are expected closer to launch.

This article originally appeared on Recode.net.

More in Technology

Technology
The case for AI realismThe case for AI realism
Technology

AI isn’t going to be the end of the world — no matter what this documentary sometimes argues.

By Shayna Korol
Politics
OpenAI’s oddly socialist, wildly hypocritical new economic agendaOpenAI’s oddly socialist, wildly hypocritical new economic agenda
Politics

The AI company released a set of highly progressive policy ideas. There’s just one small problem.

By Eric Levitz
Future Perfect
Human bodies aren’t ready to travel to Mars. Space medicine can help.Human bodies aren’t ready to travel to Mars. Space medicine can help.
Future Perfect

Protecting astronauts in space — and maybe even Mars — will help transform health on Earth.

By Shayna Korol
Podcasts
The importance of space toilets, explainedThe importance of space toilets, explained
Podcast
Podcasts

Houston, we have a plumbing problem.

By Peter Balonon-Rosen and Sean Rameswaram
Technology
What happened when they installed ChatGPT on a nuclear supercomputerWhat happened when they installed ChatGPT on a nuclear supercomputer
Technology

How they’re using AI at the lab that created the atom bomb.

By Joshua Keating
Future Perfect
Humanity’s return to the moon is a deeply religious missionHumanity’s return to the moon is a deeply religious mission
Future Perfect

Space barons like Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk don’t seem religious. But their quest to colonize outer space is.

By Sigal Samuel