Microsoft has officially unveiled its much-rumoured new smartphones in the Lumia family, the Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL. The two new flagship smartphones are powered by Windows 10 Mobile, and are powered by the latest hardware available.
The two new Lumia smartphones are powered by Windows 10 Mobile, confirming Microsoft’s vision of a single platform to run your PC, tablet and smartphone. As a smartphone, the Lumia 950 and 950 XL are actually two different class devices. The 950 XL sports a 5.7-inch display, while the 950 packs a 5.2-inch screen; both feature a 2,560 x 1,440 resolution. Both are powered by OLED, allowing Microsoft to add its signature Glance Screen technology on both devices, letting users simply glance at the phones to check notifications without having to unlock them.
What’s interesting is further in the hardware. The Lumia 950 XL packs an unspecified octa-core processor a Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 octa core processor, while the 950 uses an also-unspecified hexa-core chipset a Snapdragon 808 hexa-core chipset. Both feature what Microsoft calls “adaptive antenna technology”, but the next spec in the list is probably the headline-grabbing one: liquid-cooling technology on both devices. Microsoft says this is adapted from the liquid-cooling technology from the Surface line into the new Lumias.
On top of that, Microsoft’s (or rather Nokia’s) legacy in imaging is continued here in the new Lumias. Both devices pack a 20MP PureView rear camera sensor, featuring a triple LED “RGB Natural Flash”. As with other Lumias, the new 950 XL and 950 also has a dedicated camera button, and a fifth-generation optical image stabilisation (OIS) module. Also, the camera now records in 4K.
Other notable specs include a 5MP front-facing camera, 32GB of internal storage, 3GB of RAM and a microSD card slot that supports up to 2TB cards when they are eventually available. As for the battery, the Lumia 950 packs a 3,000mAh pack while the 950 XL sports a larger 3,300mAh battery; both are removable. There’s also a USB Type C port, which supports fast charging that goes from flat to 50% in 30 minutes.
Finally, that USB Type C port is again put to good use with the application of Continuum. Users can connect the new Lumias on a new dock, which can then connect with a keyboard, mouse and monitor, instantly transforming the Lumia into a PC. The Start menu now shows the Lumia’s home screen, and Continuum allows Microsoft’s universal apps to work perfectly and scale to a larger display effortlessly. Microsoft’s built-in apps and Office Mobile support Continuum out of the box.
The new Lumia 950 and 950 XL will go on sale from November in the US, and will be priced at $549 (about RM2,382) for the Lumia 950, and $649 (about RM2,816) for the Lumia 950 XL.
