Artfully avoiding mention of the 'N' word, even in the graphics (though it's there if you look!), Microsoft is launching special 'refreshed' versions of the Lumia 830 and 930 flagships, with gold anodised into the aluminium. That's the only change - so purely a cosmetic refresh, plus no pricing was mentioned - you have to wonder if some operators will mark the devices up a little because of the colour?

From the press release:

The Lumia 830 and Lumia 930 smartphones get a high-end refresh with an anodized gold color. Starting soon, these two phones will be available in black or white with a premium gold finish.

The Lumia 830 Gold is expected to be available in black and white in February. This smartphone can be purchased in select countries in Europe, Asia Pacific and China, and India, the Middle East and Africa. The price will vary by region and operator.

The Lumia 930 Gold will be available in black this week and in white towards the end of January.

This smartphone can be purchased in select countries in Europe, Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa and China. The price will vary by region and operator.

Both devices remain competitive (here's our reviews of the 830 and of the 930), though you have to wonder whether a better 'refresh' might have involved a bump in the internals at the same time. 32GB and 2GB RAM for the 830 and 64GB and 3GB for the 930, for example, would have given a valid reason for a slight price hike and a reason for these new models to exist.

As it is, it's surely just bling at the end of the day? Comments?