Microsoft is reportedly planning to introduce two new Windows Phone smartphones soon, one of which will arrive as a "selfie phone."
The company showed off the two handsets internally during a meeting at Microsoft, and their purported codenames are Superman and Tesla. The news comes from a new report courtesy of The Verge.
"Microsoft is planning to launch two new Windows Phone 8.1 devices shortly. Sources familiar with the company's plans tell The Verge that Microsoft devices chief Stephen Elop revealed both handsets during an internal company meeting this week," reveals the report. "Elop showed off what he described as a 'selfie phone' during the presentation, alongside video teasers of the two handsets. Microsoft's selfie phone was previously revealed as codename Superman, a handset with a 5-megapixel forward-facing camera and a 4.7-inch display."
The purported 5-megapixel camera on this alleged "selfie phone" is not the highest-end front-facing shooter gracing a smartphone, but it is definitely above average. Considering that most smartphones come with 2.1-megapixel front cameras, 5 megapixels is a notable improvement for selfie addicts. The report makes no mention of what resolution the 4.7-inch display will have, but the handset will boast the latest in terms of software. That means Windows Phone 8.1, which brings some great features and improvements to the platform, including the much-touted Cortana digital assistant.
When it comes to the second device, codenamed Tesla, Elop reportedly said that it's both "affordable" and at the high-end of the smartphone market. It remains unclear at this point just what specs and price that translates to, but The Verge speculates that it may arrive as a Lumia 720 replacement. The highlight of this new smartphone will lie in the camera department, as it will reportedly boast a PureView camera. In terms of design, this handset is expected to be "svelter" than the Nokia Lumia 930, but sport a similar design.
If Elop already introduced the two new smartphones during Microsoft's annual shareholder meeting, chances are that an official launch is just around the corner. Many aspects remain hazy at this point, but more information should become available shortly. We'll keep you up to date as soon as more details surface, so stay tuned.
