When comparing launch prices, the Nokia Lumia 710 is the cheapest Windows Phone device to date. Both Microsoft and Nokia have said that driving down the cost of devices, and making more mid-tier Windows Phone devices available, is a key objective and that will be critical to the success of the platform.
The colourful, affordable Nokia Lumia 710 was designed to make the Nokia Lumia experience accessible to more people around the world and at launch was widely praised as the best Windows Phone experience at is price point. It combines the powerful social and Internet experience of Windows Phone with the ability to take pictures in almost any conditions and share with friends in seconds, as well as access to thousands of the most popular apps, including exclusive Nokia services.
Based on the Windows Phone 7.5 Mango release, the Nokia Lumia 710 smartphone is designed to appeal to people with lively social lives, who want an easy way to enjoy all the benefits of Windows Phone and access to signature Nokia experiences.
According to Nokia Conversations the first person to buy a Nokia Lumia 710 was Ms Kao Nai Xiang, who said:
“I have always had Nokia phones. I wouldn’t dream of switching to another brand. I really like the colour of this one.”
The importance of brand loyalty and device colour in the purchase decsion should not be under-estimated. Power-users may spend hours comparing specifications and designs, but, for majority of consumers, the purchase decision is driven by other factors.
Nokia, in order to reach the Lumia 710's lower price point, has nade a number of changes to the device's specifications, when compared with the Lumia 800. These offer a good illustration of the trade-off between price and specifications.
| Nokia Lumia 800 | Nokia Lumia 710 | |
| Materials & design | Polycarbonate shell | Plastics based around an internal metal frame |
| Screen | AMOLED with CBD | IPS LCD with CBD |
| Internal memory | 16GB (NAND) | 8GB (SD) |
| Camera | 8 Mpx; f/2.2 | 5 Mpx; f/2.4 |
| Battery | Integral 1450 mAh | Replaceable 1300 mAh |
| Size | 116.5 x 61.2 x 12.1 mm | 119 x 62.4 x 12.48 mm |
| Weight | 142g | 125.5g |
In terms of functionality there are, essentially, no differences between the two devices. However, it is fair to say that the reduced specifications of the camera, internal memory and, especially, the screen do have an impact of the overall user experience.
Key hardware features
- 119 x 62.4 x 12.5mm, 125g in weight, 81cc in volume; monoblock touch form factor
- A combination of glass and plastic materials.
- Processor: 1.4GHz with GPU co-processor, RAM: 512MB
- 3.7" TFT ClearBlack Display touchscreen; 800 x 480 pixels resolution (WVGA)
- 5 megapixel auto-focus camera (with LED flash); video capture at 1280 x 720p (HD - 720p at 30 frames per second).
- Integrated GPS with location support for A-GPS, WLAN and Cell-ID location techniques
- Compass (magnetometer), accelerometer, proximity and ambient light sensors
- microUSB (USB 2.0) for PC connectivity and charging
- 3.5mm audio out
- 1300mAh removable battery
- WCDMA 900/1900/2100 (3G) and GSM/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 (HSDPA Cat 10 - 14.4 Mbps, HSUPA Cat 6 - 5.76 Mbps)
- WiFi: WLAN IEEE 802.11 b/g/n and Bluetooth 2.1
- 8GB mass memory
- Available in black and white and with replaceable back covers in a number of different colours
Key software features:
- Runs Windows Phone 7.5 (Mango) with Nokia customisations
- Nokia Drive - voice guided, worldwide car navigation service. Maps can be downloaded over the air or pre-loaded and the user interface optimised for in-car use.
- Nokia Music, which offers the Mix Radio streaming service, MP3 purchase and information about local music events.
- Exclusive third party applications, the exact composition of which varies from market to market.
We will be reviewing the Nokia Lumia 710 in more detail shortly.