Microsoft begins Lumia 430 rollout in Asia, Africa

Microsoft Corporation says it has fulfilled the promise of smartphone ownership for many more people with the introduction of Lumia 430 Dual SIM, the latest addition to its range of Lumia smartphones.

Built with the latest Windows Phone 8.1 software, a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor featuring a dual-core CPU running at 1.2GHz, and with Microsoft Office, Skype and OneDrive pre-loaded, the company said the Lumia 430 Dual SIM was designed to help people achieve more at work, at play and on the go.

“Microsoft continues to expand its affordable smartphone portfolio, which now spans a diverse range of price points and capabilities, from the super-affordable Lumia 435 with Lumia Camera to the recently announced Lumia 640 and Lumia 640 XL, which come with a one-year subscription to Office 365 Personal. People can have their choice of Lumia device to suit their everyday needs and budget.

“Windows Phone 8.1 devices like the Lumia 430 Dual SIM will benefit from further innovation, with the ability to upgrade them to Windows 10 when the service debuts later this year,” Microsoft said in a statement.

According to it, the Lumia 430 Dual SIM features a compact, durable and colourful design with a vivid 4-inch WVGA display that brings all the latest apps, games and videos to life. “With Lumia 430, people can instantly achieve more every day, and they can use Microsoft Office and Outlook for work and personal productivity,” it said.

“They can access up to 30 GB of free cloud storage on OneDrive for safekeeping important content. People can experience the fun of video calls with Skype-integrated calling and a front-facing camera. Smart Dual SIM allows people to assign unique profiles to their SIM cards, such as work or family, to help them better manage daily communication.

“Favourite apps like Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, Candy Crush Saga and Instagram are available, with more apps and entertainment just a click away on the Windows Phone Store.”

The Corporate Vice President for Phones at Microsoft, Jo Harlow, said, “People around the world have responded enthusiastically to our affordable Lumia range. We continue to invest in this segment to ensure that as many people as possible can enjoy signature Microsoft experiences, regardless of budget.

“The Lumia 430 Dual SIM continues our commitment to combining the right hardware, software, services and apps with the right price to give people a smartphone they can afford and be proud to use.”

Harlwo said the Lumia 430 Dual SIM would begin rolling out in select markets in the Middle East and Africa, Asia-Pacific, Russia, Kazakhstan, and Belarus starting in April 2015, and in India towards the end of April 2015. “It will be available in two colors: bright orange and black,” he added.