Last week, Microsoft promised that its Lumia 735 would be going on sale in the UK this week, and today, sales of the new Windows Phone have indeed begun. The 735 is the 4G version of the otherwise identical Lumia 730, which was unveiled alongside it in early September, and has earned the nickname of the "selfie phone" due to its 5MP wide-angle front-facing camera.
The Lumia 735"s key specs include:
- 4.7-inch HD (1280x720px) OLED with ClearBlack technology and Gorilla Glass 3
- Quad-core 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 400
- 1GB RAM
- 8GB onboard storage (with microSD support up to 128GB)
- 6.7MP rear camera with ZEISS optics and LED flash; 1080p video capture at 30fps
- 5MP front-facing camera with wide-angle lens; 1080p video capture
- 4G LTE connectivity
- NFC and Bluetooth 4.0
- 2220mAh battery
- 134.7 x 68.5 x 8.9mm; 134.3g
Microsoft suggested last week that the 735 would be available with no upfront charges on contracts costing around £20 or more. In fact, the device can be picked up on even cheaper tariffs - from just £17 a month on a two-year plan - with no upfront cost.
The cheapest tariffs include the smallest data bundles, however, so if you want to make the most of the Lumia 735"s 4G connectivity, you may wish to consider a more expensive monthly plan with more inclusive data.
Less expensive monthly charges can be found if you opt for a SIM-only plan, though, and buy the handset at full price. Clove.co.uk is selling the Lumia 735 for £220 off-contract, while Carphone Warehouse is offering the device for just £199.95. Shop around, and you may find even better deals.
The Lumia 735 has also gone on sale today in the Republic of Ireland, Australia and Malaysia today, and will continue rolling out to other markets in the days and weeks ahead. Pricing for each market will be announced locally, but Microsoft has suggested a guide price of 219 EUR (roughly $275 USD) off-contract, before taxes and subsidies.