The Microsoft Lumia 550, codenamed “Saimaa”, rumors continue to gain traction as a new render allegedly of the budget device finds its way onto the internet. I don’t think I’d be alone in suggesting that the render, if true, shows the device to be shockingly similar visually to the currently sold Lumia 640.
As discussed in a previous article, its rumored specs include a low-end 1.1 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 210 quad-core SoC. Expect it to have 8 GB of internal storage, optionally supplemented by a microSD card. Shining from the Saimaa will allegedly be a 4.7-inch 720 x 1280 AMOLED display. Striking, considering that AMOLED screens have historically been more expensive than their LCD counterparts, and thus reserved for use mainly in higher-end phones. I would also note that the 4.7-inch screen AMOLED screen is very similar in size and constitution to the old, classy Lumia 925, which carries a 4.5-inch AMOLED screen.
The device is expected to be available in either black or white color configurations. Interestingly, the render above is shown to be blue. This pattern of expected black or white colors followed by leaked renders of a blue phone runs parallel to the rumor build-up of the Lumia 950 series of devices, which makes me wonder if we can expect this color scheme for its entire range of upcoming devices. Odd, considering the Lumia lineup has historically been notorious for its use of vibrant and bold colors.
Anyone hoping the Lumia 550 will have individual physical buttons will be disappointed. The Lumia 640 and the rumored Lumia 950 series of devices all feature on-screen keys. I don’t see the Lumia 550 being any different, as doing such should make the device cheaper to manufacture.
Also expect the rumored phone to have LTE, as is rapidly becoming the standard among smartphones these days.
Finally, expect the phone to have both front-facing camera, as shown in the top-left of the render, and a rear-facing camera with flash. Megapixel counts are unknown, but the front-facing camera could also have flash: an interesting inclusion.
It’s possible at Microsoft may discuss the Lumia 550 at its upcoming October 6th device reveal event, but I have my doubts, is this device would likely get overshadowed by its flagship counterparts. Which also begs the question: we already have the venerable Lumia 640 which can be had for dirt-cheap. What demographic of buyer is this device supposed to cater to?
