While Microsoft has been slowly releasing the mid-range Lumia 650 in several new markets over the last few weeks, the Redmond giant seems to be counting on third-party OEMs to keep Windows 10 Mobile phones on the radar this year. While we have seen new Windows 10 Mobile handsets being announced by Asian manufacturers Coship and Covia these last few days, Taiwanese OEM Acer also plans to support Windows 10 Mobile with at least three new phones in 2016. First there’s the premium Liquid Jade Primo, which just started shipping to European customers, and then with two budget-friendly phones called the Liquid M320 and M330, which wereannounced during IFA 2015 back in September.
Today, a new report from Windows Central reveals that the Liquid M330 will be released later this month in the US, and the US Microsoft Store will sell the handset to US customers for $99.99. Here is what Acer had to share about the Liquid M330 in the press release:
Outfitted with Windows 10 Mobile, it’s intuitive and provides the essential features required to satisfy those looking for a simple and affordable smartphone. Due to the popularity of the Windows operating system, the Liquid M330 is easy to use and customize, and fully supports Microsoft applications and services.
“The new Liquid M330 leverages the many benefits of Windows 10 Mobile and powerful LTE,” said Hugo Hernandez, vice president, Acer America Smartphone Business Group. “Offering a solid feature set at a great price, it’s ideal for students and other budget-conscious customers.”
While Acer enthusiasm for Windows phones might be slightly exaggerated, the specs of the Liquid M330 are not exactly exciting:
- 4.5-inch FWVGA (854×480) IPS display
- 5.3- x 2.6-x 0.39-inches and weighing only 5.1 ounces.
- 4G LTE Cat. 4, Bluetooth 4.0 EDR and 802.11b/g/n
- 5MP rear shooter with flash, front 5MP fixed focus camera
- Quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 210 processor
- 1GB of RAM
- 8GB of internal storage (expandable with MicroSD)
- Removable 2000mAh battery delivering up to 15 hours talk time and up to 230 hours in standby on a single charge.
For just $99, the Acer Liquid M330 has slightly weaker specs than the $129 Lumia 550 which features a 4.7-inch 1280×720 display and a 2100mAh battery. However, that curved design and 5MP front camera are definitely interesting. Do you think the Acer Liquid M330 could become a popular Windows 10 Mobile phone? Please tell us what you think in the comments.
