There are rumors that a new Microsoft Lumia with front flash will become available soon.
GSM Arena reported that there are at least six handsets being developed, all presumably belonging to the Microsoft Lumia line. The rumors originated from tipster Evan Blass or @evleaks on Twitter. One of the phones will allegedly feature a front-facing flash. Although the leakster’s prediction was not well-received by others on the social media site, people are expecting Microsoft to feature a new smartphone for their midrange and high-end categories.
Winbeta stated that aside from Blass being generally reliable when it comes to device leaks and information, there is some potential to a Microsoft Lumia with front flash coming out based on other sources. 2015 devices have focused much on the selfie and various inexpensive devices from China and other countries are arriving in the west, featuring wide-angle 8-megapixsel shooters with a front-facing flash, among others. More manufacturers are following suit, providing more powerful cameras with features that create excellent quality selfies. It would not be surprising if Microsoft would also feature a new smartphone leaning towards the same trend to compete with others like the Sony Experia C3 smartphone.
Microsoft has been struggling in the smartphone market since its acquisition of Nokia. Based on a recent survey by comScore, the Microsoft Windows Phone lost 0.5% market share in terms of user base and its total share in the industry is a mere 3.0%. Google still dominates the United States market with 52.1% market share. Microsoft might be releasing high-end Lumias to compete with Android flagship devices. Featuring a front-facing LED flash may help elevate Microsoft’s position, especially with the full version Windows 10 Mobile. Microsoft recently announced that it will be laying off 7,800 employees in its mobile hardware department and write off the $7.6 billion it paid in the Nokia acquisition.
BidnessEtc reported that the Lumia 940 and Lumia 940 XL are rumored to feature both the front-facing LED flash and Windows 10 mobile straight out of the box. The 940 XL will most likely come with 16GB of internal storage, 1.5GB of RAM, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 chipset and an octa-core processor. There are several speculations that Microsoft will finally set its sights on high-end Lumia phones to improve its position in the market. The new devices are also rumored to present state-of-the-art technologies like USB-C support and iris scanning capability.
More news and details on the new Lumia with front flash are expected soon.