US Mobile To Celebrate Cyber Monday With $9.99 Lumia 530
If you’re one of the chosen few that is still sticking around with Microsoft’s smartphone operating system despite the clear domination of smartphones running iOS and Android, Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) US Mobile will have a respectable deal for you on Cyber Monday.
The company has announced that it will make the Lumia 530 smartphone available for $9.99 starting next week. US Mobile operates on T-Mobile’s wireless network and the Lumia 530 in question will be offered off-contract.
Now before you start getting all excited about the prospects of a smartphone for less than $10 without a contract, we have to be upfront about the device’s specs — they definitely won’t blow your socks off. You’ll receive a 4-inch (854x480) display, quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 processor, a meager 512MB of RAM, 4GB of onboard storage, a microSD slot, a 5MP fixed focus rear camera without flash, and a 1430 mAh battery. You don’t even get a selfie camera, if you’re into that sort of thing.
Then there’s also the question about Windows 10 Mobile support with the Lumia 530. Although the Lumia 530 is included in the Windows 10 Mobile Insider Preview program, Microsoft has indicated that smartphones with less than 8GB of internal storage will not be eligible for the retail release of the operating system. It remains to be seen if this requirement will hold firm once Windows 10 Mobile is officially released to the wild later this year, but it’s something to consider if you’re looking to score a cheap Windows-based smartphone.
It should be noted that the Lumia 530 isn’t the only smartphone that has dipped below the $10 mark in recent weeks. Earlier this month, Walmart offered the LG L15G Sunrise Android 4.4 KitKat smartphone for just $9.82.