Microsoft has officially launched their new unofficial selfie smartphone for the masses, the Lumia 535. The most notable features of this smartphone include a 5MP wide-angle front camera, 5MP rear camera with LED flash and 5-inch display with 960 x 540 pixel resolution and Corning Gorilla Glass 3 for just RM429. The version coming to Malaysia supports dual SIM and will pack in Windows Phone 8.1 with the latest Lumia Denim update right out of the box. It will be available next week in black, cyan, orange and white. In addition, units bought in December 2014 will also come with a free bundle worth RM99 which includes a 2200 mAh power bank, 16GB memory card, screen protector, keychain and notepad. Trying out the Lumia 535 first hand, the smartphone is quite thin and light with the usual polycarbonate backside and it certainly looks better than the rather chunky Lumia 530. Other tech specs and hands-on photos of the Lumia 535 are listed below:

• 1.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 processor
• 1GB of RAM
• 8GB storage + 15GB OneDrive + up to 128GB microSD
• 5-inch display with 540 x 960 pixel resolution, IPS, Corning Gorilla Glass 3, Sunlight Readability
• 5MP rear camera with LED flash + 5MP front camera with wide-angle lens
• 1905 mAh removable battery
• 140.2 x 72.4 x 8.8mm | 146g
• Supports dual-SIM
• Windows Phone 8.1 Lumia Denim
• RM429

The Lumia 535 is the first Windows phone to carry the Microsoft branding and it looks like the same device is all set to hit the Malaysian market pretty soon. It was recently spotted at the SIRIM database, which means the phone is already certified for our local market. The Lumia 535 is the successor to the Lumia 530 budget smartphone. It brings a lot of new upgrades, but retains some features from the earlier generation. For example, the processor remains the same as before with a 1.2 GHz quad-core Snapdragon 200 processor. However, Microsoft has increased the RAM capacity from 512MB to 1GB while the internal storage has also been upgraded from 4GB to 8GB. On the front, there is a 5-inch 960 x 540 pixel resolution IPS panel. At the rear, there is a 5MP camera with auto-focus and LED flash. The front camera now features a 5MP wide angle sensor, which should click better selfies than before. Microsoft has also improved the onboard battery to a 1905 mAh capacity one along with dual SIM card slots. Although Microsoft Malaysia has not yet announced any details for Malaysia release or pricing, we expect it to retail around RM400 with a possible Malaysia release date on 4 December 2015.

Microsoft is really offering an interesting smartphone with the official announcement of the Microsoft Lumia 535. The most notable features of the smartphone include a 5MP front camera, 5MP rear camera with LED flash, 5-inch display and an affordable price tag. In one move, it seems like they've shot down several of their own previous Lumia smartphones such as the Lumia 530 and Lumia 730 / Lumia 735. Other tech specs include a 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 processor, 1GB of RAM, 8GB storage, 5-inch display with 540 x 960 pixel resolution, 5MP rear camera with LED flash, 5MP front camera with wide-angle lens, 1905 mAh battery and coming with Windows Phone 8.1 Lumia Denim. It is also thin and lightweight at 140.2 x 72.4 x 8.8mm and 146g with a dual-SIM version as well. Available in black, bright green, bright orange, cyan, dark grey and white, the Lumia 535 is set for €110 (RM456). No Malaysia release dates or pricing yet, but we expect it to be soon, if not this month then the next. In the meantime check out the video in this article.

Microsoft may be coming out with a new Lumia smartphone on 11 November 2014, as they have released a teaser image of a smartphone and the date "11.11.2014". From the shape of the curve, it seems likely that this new Lumia would be the Lumia 535 with one major feature being a front-facing camera (the Lumia 530 doesn't have one). Other tech specs could also include a larger 5-inch display with 960 x 540 pixel resolution, 1GB RAM, a 5MP rear camera with LED flash, VGA front camera and 1900 mAh battery. The added features will likely mean an increase in price from the RM355 the Lumia 530 is currently retailing at, perhaps at RM399? No news about any Malaysia release dates just yet but we'll be sure to let you know as soon as we find out.

While they were previously known as Nokia Lumia smartphones, Microsoft has officially confirmed that they will be dropping the Nokia branding from Lumia smartphones in the future. Windows Phone will also get dropped. Instead, Microsoft will be using their own branding so your next Lumia will be called the Microsoft Lumia smartphone. This applies to all Lumia smartphones for now, but not the older Nokia featurephones. Older Nokia Lumia users don't need to worry though as there are no changes in terms of support, tech specs, performance or features just yet. Nokia may be looking to resurrect the brand name elsewhere but for now Microsoft Lumia smartphones are here to stay.

Nokia Malaysia just launched the Nokia Lumia 830 for Malaysia at RM1399 and we managed to get some hands-on time with the smartphone. Overall, the Lumia 830 bears the same metal frame design as the Lumia 930 with a colourful polycarbonate backside but it does look somewhat slimmer compared to the Lumia 930. The 10MP PureView camera sensor does protrude a little but it isn't as bad as other PureView cameraphones. Overall, the Lumia 830 feels solid enough to drop without worrying too much, a lot like many other polycarbonate backed Lumias as well and the back easily pops off if you'd like to change the cover. It is also one of the few midrange smartphones we've seen to offer Qi wireless charging. Check out the Nokia Lumia 830 tech specs and demo video below:

• 1.2GHZ quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor
• 1GB RAM
• 16GB storage + microSD (up to 128 GB)
• 5-inch display (720 x 1280 pixel resolution, 294 ppi)
• 10MP rear camera (Carl Zeiss lens, optical image stabilization, autofocus, LED flash +
  0.9MP front camera
• supports Wifi, NFC, GPS, 3G and 4G LTE
• 2200 mAh battery
• 139.4  x  70.7  x  8.5mm | 150g
• Microsoft Windows Phone 8.1 (Denim Update)

Microsoft Mobile Devices Malaysia recently launched the Lumia 830 and Lumia 735 smartphones for Malaysia. The Nokia Lumia 830 is currently the only midrange Lumia with a 10MP PureView rear camera (which includes features like optical image stabilization and other PureView camera functions) and will be priced at RM1399. The Lumia 735 on the other hand is the company's Selfie camera with it's 5MP front camera with a price tag of RM999. While the slightly lower-end Lumia 735 will offer a standard Lumia polycarbonate backside design in various colours, the Lumia 830 will offer a metal frame much like the Lumia 930. The two midrange Lumias should be available at all authorized retail stores and vendors by 3 October 2014. Tech specs for the Lumia 830 and Lumia 735 are listed as follows:

• Nokia Lumia 830
• 1.2GHZ quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor
• 1GB RAM
• 16GB storage + microSD (up to 128 GB)
• 5-inch display (720 x 1280 pixel resolution, 294 ppi)
• 10MP rear camera (Carl Zeiss lens, optical image stabilization, autofocus, LED flash +
  0.9MP front camera
• supports Wifi, NFC, GPS, 3G and 4G LTE
• 2200 mAh battery
• 139.4  x  70.7  x  8.5mm | 150g
• Microsoft Windows Phone 8.1 (Denim Update)

• Nokia Lumia 735
• 1.2GHZ quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor
• 1GB RAM
• 8GB storage + microSD (up to 128 GB)
• 4.7-inch display (720 x 1280 pixel resolution, 312 ppi)
• 6.7 MP rear camera (Carl Zeiss lens, autofocus, LED flash) + 5MP front camera
• supports Wifi, NFC, GPS, 3G and 4G LTE
• 2200 mAh battery
• 134.7  x  68.5  x  8.9mm | 134g
• Microsoft Windows Phone 8.1 (Denim Update)

Microsoft Devices Malaysia have sent out the invites for an event on 25 September 2014 and while they didn't mention it by name, the picture in the invite gives the smartphone to be launched away as the Nokia Lumia 830. Recently announced at IFA 2014, the Lumia 830 is one of the few midrange market smartphones to offer Optical Image Stabilization to go with it's 10MP PureView camera. Other tech specs and features include a 1.2GHZ quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor, 1GB RAM, 5-inch display with 720p HD resolution and the Lumia Denim Update for Windows Phone 8.1. While there isn't any Malaysia pricing yet, it was initially priced at 330 euros (RM1371) which is quite affordable for a Lumia with these tech specs.

The Nokia Lumia 830 has been rumoured to be coming during the IFA 2014 but already, pictures of the midrange smartphone have appeared. What makes the pictures all that much more interesting is that it is indeed packing in a PureView image sensor despite being aimed for the midrange market. While most industry watchers have pointed out that the Nokia Lumia 1020 is nearing it's expiry point, it doesn't look like the Pureview sensor on the Lumia 830 is the same 41MP PureView sensor on the Lumia 1020. This is because it isn't as raised or as thick and could likely just be a 20MP PureView sensor or perhaps even less. Other tech specs for the Lumia 830 include a 4.5-inch display and 4G LTE connectivity. Again, no specific Malaysia release dates or pricing details but we should find out soon at the coming IFA 2014 in September where the Lumia 730 is also rumoured to be coming as well.

Microsoft recently sent out invites to their upcoming event at the IFA 2014 in September. The invite clearly shows a PureView sensor, hinting that a device with a PureView camera will be revealed at the event. The most obvious device could be the Lumia 830 which while a midrange device, could come with a 20.1MP PureView camera. Other rumoured tech specs for the Lumia 830 includes a 4.5-inch display with 720p pixel resolution. Another device said to be coming at the event could be the Lumia 730 or Lumia Superman, which has been dubbed as the company's Selfie smartphone, perhaps due to the rumoured 5MP front camera. Other tech specs and features for the Lumia 730 include a quad-core Snapdragon 400 processor, 1GB of RAM and a 4.7-inch display with 720p pixel resolution. The Microsoft event is set for 4 September 2014 and while this rumour could be true, do take it with good pinch of salt. It could just as likely be the reveal for the next device to hold the 41MP PureView sensor said to be going out with the Lumia 1020. Stay tuned for more developments.