 "Lumia 620 gets preorder price, estimated launch date")
The highly anticipated Nokia Lumia 620 has gone up for preorder on online retailer Flipkart.com at Rs 15,199, with shipping expected to begin in the second week of March. The mid-range Windows Phone 8 device joins its higher-end siblings, the Lumia 920 and 820, which were released earlier in India. While the launch was expected in late January or early February, those waiting for a more reasonably priced Windows Phone 8 phone will finally be able to order one. Notably, Nokia’s own website does not yet list a price or offer the Lumia 620 for booking, although its other Lumia and Asha models are available for sale. Other popular retail outlets don’t have similar preorder pages or notifications.
The Lumia 620 has a preorder price of Rs 15,199
The Lumia 620 will be available in black, white, cyan, magenta and yellow/green. Flipkart is offering a free 16 GB Sandisk microSD card with every order and is waiving the processing fee on 3- or 6-month EMI plans.
The phone has a 3.79-inch WVGA (800 x 480) pixel screen and runs on a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 CPU running at 1 GHz with an Adreno 305 GPU. The rear camera is a 5-megapixel unit with autofocus and an LED flash. The battery is rated at 9.9 hours of talktime using 3G and 330 hours of standby time. NFC functionality allows for easy pairing with accessories, sharing of files and information between devices, and possibly future mobile-wallet-related payment facilities. The 620’s distinguishing feature is its swappable “dual-shot” two-toned shells, reminiscent of Nokia’s lineup of phones with swappable covers in the early 2000s. The company has already released design specifications that will allow users to 3D-print their own shells. The phone also comes with Nokia’s suite of software enhancements for Windows Phone 8 including Nokia Drive, City Lens, Cinemagraph and Smart Shoot. Nokia also offers the subscription-based Nokia Music streaming service to Lumia owners.
The phone will compete with several Android-based models from Indian and global brands in the Rs 12,000 to Rs 18,000 price bracket, but is the lowest-priced Windows Phone 8 model launched in India so far, significantly undercutting the HTC Windows Phone 8S. The preorder price might be subject to change, and it is unclear if the price takes into account the recently proposed increase in tax on mobile phones. The Lumia 620 will soon be flanked by the more fashion-forward Lumia 720 and the budget-minded Lumia 520. The price of the 620 also indicates that the Lumia 520 will cost around Rs 12,000 or less, since the lowest-end member of the Windows Phone 8 family drops NFC, a front-facing camera and wireless charging compatibility.
The flagship Lumia 920 and premium Lumia 820 models are now selling for up to Rs 3,000 less than their introductory MRPs. The Lumia 920 now sells for Rs 35,000 while the 820 carries a tag of Rs 25,300 at most retailers. The Lumia 720 and 520 were only just unveiled at the 2013 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. Rumors of a new flagship device to supersede the 920 remain unconfirmed.
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