Microsoft Unveils Windows 10 Lumia 950, 950 XL Smartphones

Microsoft has revealed its latest top-end smartphones as it looks to put the power of Windows 10 into your pocket.

The Lumia 950 and 950 XL are the company’s most powerful mobile devices to date, and feature a super-powered camera, large and detailed screens, and thanks to the installation of two antennas within the body, always-on connectivity, meaning you should never fear dropping a call.

There is also the ability to directly connect your device to a PC or monitor using a new Microsoft display dock, which thanks to the Continuum feature in Windows 10 means that you’ll never notice any difference when switching between your smartphone and a PC.

Power up

With screens packing in 518ppi and measuring in at 5.2in and 5.7in respectively, the Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL (pictured left) feature some super-charged hardware, with a hexa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 and octa-core Snapdragon 810 providing the power.

Both devices also include 32GB of internal storage and a 20MP Zeiss PureView image sensor on the rear that features optical image stabilisation, triple LED natural flash, and 4K video capture.

A long life is provided by a 3,000mAh battery for the Lumia 950 and 3,340mAh battery in the Lumia 950 XL, which Microsoft says can be recharged up to half capacity in just over half an hour thanks to the USB-C connectivity slot at the bottom of each device.

As mentioned, both devices will feature full Windows 10 compatability, meaning users will get access to apps such as Cortana, Skype for Business and Microsoft Edge, as well as the full gamut of Office 2016 programs. Microsoft was keen to show off just what will be on offer with a jazzy demo session that showed high-speed interaction between a smartphone and PC, which Microsoft’s Panos Panay said makes the new devices “the most productive phone you’ve ever picked up”.

The Lumia 950 and 950 XL will be available from $549 (£360) and $649 (£426) respectively, and will be going on sale from November.

Pocket-friendly

In addition to the new flagship devices, Microsoft also unveiled the Lumia 550 (pictured right), an affordable new 4.7in smartphone that will bring the Windows 10 experience for around £100.

Powered by a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 210 processor, 2GB of RAM, 8GB of storage and featuring full 4G LTE connectivity, the Lumia 550 also provides all-day battery life, even when dealing with Windows 10 apps.

Also packing in a 5MP rear and 2MP front camera, and available in two colour schemes, the Lumia 550 will begin rolling out in select European markets in December.

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