Last week, we reported that a new low-cost Windows Phone 8.1 device is on the way. Known by its codename 'Rise', the device is expected to be called the Lumia 530 at launch. Until now, it appeared that the handset might be exclusive to T-Mobile USA.
The Lumia 630 is Microsoft's most affordable Windows Phone 8.1 device - but not for long, it seems
But for those considering a Windows Phone on a budget, there is good news, and since it comes from the leak machine that is @evleaks, there's a pretty good chance that the info is sound. He says that the device will not be tied down to T-Mobile alone, but that it will also be made available on Cricket Wireless, AT&T's subsidiary carrier for prepaid mobile services. For the time being, a question mark remains over whether or not the device will make it to even more carriers in the US, or indeed to other markets.
Curiously, he refers to the handset's codename today as 'Rock', rather than the 'Rise' codename that he had previously reported. Given that T-Mobile is no stranger to getting its own Windows Phones - even with custom hardware, such as the Lumia 810 - it's possible that the T-Mo variant of the Lumia 530 is simply being developed under a different internal moniker.
The 530's specs remain a mystery for now and, as you've probably guessed, there's no indication of how much this thing might cost when it goes on sale. One thing does seem clear though: it won't be available for a while. The Lumia 530 is not expected until the fourth quarter of this year, making October the earliest that we might hope to see the new device.
Source: @evleaks
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