Technical Details Size: Global GSM - 16GB US Compatibility: All GSM Networks including AT&T and (2G) T-Mobile Optimized to work with 3G (UMTS/HSPA+) networks when roaming outside the US. Only supports 2G coverage on..
Nokia announced the Lumia 525 sometime back last month and basically, it was a Lumia 520 with a very slightly different design and 1 GB of RAM. The Lumia 525 is primarily for addressing the low RAM issue on Windows Phones. Phones with 512 MB of RAM, like the Lumia 520, were not allowed to download some apps and games from the Windows Phone Store because of them demanding more resources. This was partly solved with more optimizations from the developers’ side, but we still see a lot of new apps and games releasing with the limitation, so Nokia simply went the other way and updated the 520 with 1 GB of RAM, and that’s exactly the reason why 525 exists. It was revealed at an event in Goa today that the Lumia 525 will be arriving to India during the first week of January 2014. The Lumia 520 is already the best selling Windows Phone in India and we hope the 525 directly replaces it. That said, we went hands on with the Lumia 525 at the Annual Strategy Sharing Summit in Goa, you can find our impressions below.
As we mentioned earlier, the Lumia 525 is basically a 520 with upgraded RAM and a new build. The phone is now glossier than before and comes in Bright Orange, Yellow, White and Black. Here, the black alone is matte. We had a red version to play with at the event, and this is how the back looks -
You can notice that it is a bit glossier than before, but it is not completely glossy plastic, because the texture is just matte and smooth. Literally everything is the same in terms of design except for the more curvier back. From the above picture, you can see how it is less sharp on the corner and more blunt, with it proving to be a better fit in the hands.
The display is the same 4 inch WVGA IPS LCD screen that was on the Lumia 520, but it does seem a tad brighter than before. We didn’t have a 520 to test side by side, but we think it is indeed slightly brighter.
Like we repeatedly mentioned, the most important change to the Lumia 525 is its 1 GB of RAM, which brings it on par to the Lumia 820 or the 920, except for the processing power. It is based off the same Snapdragon S4 Plus chipset with a dual core 1 GHz processor MSM8227 and the Adreno 305 GPU. The GPU is actually really good for gaming though, only the RAM was a bottleneck before, and now it is not. So, for people wanting to enjoy all the games with the same familiar form factor and features of the 520, the 525 will be a great option.
The Lumia 525 runs on the latest Windows Phone 8 GDR3 software update with Nokia’s own Lumia Black firmware. It will come with the Nokia Camera app pre-installed as it is now available for all the Lumia phones.
But unfortunately, little else has changed, and the device is practically a small upgrade rather than a successor, which we had initially believed so. There is no front facing camera, nor there is a LED flash for the camera, but hopes are not lost because MWC is just around the corner and we expect to see a true upgrade and a successor to the Lumia 520, which has been the worldwide Windows Phone best seller. The Lumia 525 is expected to launch to retail in India in the first week of January 2014.
Having spent the best part of two years cleaning the Motorola pipeline of products conceived before the takeover, Google finally has a shop with its name on it. And it's not afraid to use it to challenge some of the old habits and experienced players in the smartphone game.
The Moto X was the first to set on a crusade to prove that high-end smartphones go beyond the number of cores and pixels. Now we have the Moto G on a mission to let everyone know that affordability doesn't necessarily imply crippled functionality. The Moto X was unusual enough to be reasonably successful despite its hefty price tag. The Moto G, on the other hand, is priced to move quickly and will be keeping the competition on their toes. Not that it will get complacent because of it, like most of the smartphones priced at around the same level do. The Motorola Moto G will bend over backwards to serve you properly and its list of features stretches far longer than most in this price range.
Here are the Key Features:
Key features
Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE; quad-band UMTS/HSPA support
Questionable camera image quality, limited camera settings
It's abundantly clear that the Motorola Moto G ticks way more boxes than a smartphone of its standing is expected to. Some might argue that it's a luxurious strategy that can only be employed because Google will make profit off software services and not the actual hardware. Well, from a user's perspective (and that's the only one we care about) this point is irrelevant as all that matters is what you are getting for your money. At least on paper, the Moto G is plenty of smartphone for the price.
Some corners needed to be cut of course, but since Motorola could afford to give up immediate profits, the hardware didn't take as bad of a hit as it normally would have. We get a base-level chipset of course, but it's of the latest Qualcomm lineup and it should do just fine paired with a 720p screen. And since it requires less power and there's a smaller screen here, Motorola might easily get away with the smaller battery. The unmatched body customization options of Moto X are gone too, but the (very cheaply) replaceable back covers still let you add your personal touch to the smartphone. A well rounded package indeed.
Or is it? You see, being able to sell subsidized hardware might sound like a manufacturer's dream, but it's not all roses. Because when you mostly rely on the software to bring in the profits, you have to make sure your services are attractive. So the microSD card slot got the axe in hope that you'll fall back to cloud storage for most of your multimedia needs. The default skinned Android UI (or launcher, as it's technically called) also isn't the most functional around, so you might have to add a feature or two via third party apps.
MOTO G Price:
For 8 GB Model: Rs.11300
For 16 GB Model: Rs.13000
Availability: Motorola Moto G will be available in early January with updated android Kitkat 4.4 out of the box with Dual-SIM option.
