Microsoft is asking Apple and Samsung handset owners in the United States and Puerto Rico to throw their existing handsets out of the window in exchange for an AT&T Nokia Lumia smartphone. Of course, there is a catch.
The promo page on the Microsoft Store banners "FREE: Nokia Lumia 1020 or Nokia Lumia 1520" and invites owners of an iPhone 4s, iPhone 4, or a Samsung Galaxy S2 to drop by select Microsoft brick and mortar retail stores. The promo started on Feb. 3 and is set to end on March 2 or until supplies last.
"To be eligible for trade-in, product must power on and be in fully functional, working condition without broken/missing components, cracked display/housing or liquid damage, cannot be password protected, and include original chargers/accessories. To receive maximum trade in value, you must purchase an eligible Nokia Lumia 1020 or Nokia Lumia 1520 with a qualifying new or renewal mobile contract or upgrade (2 years) at the same time," read the fine print of the promo.
Since the offered Nokia handsets are only available with AT&T, interested consumers will have no choice but to sign up with the carrier.
"Any appraised value will be determined at trade-in and provided as store credit, subject to Microsoft's discretion and approval. All trade-ins are final. Not valid on prior orders or purchases; cannot be transferred or otherwise redeemed for cash or gift cards," it further detailed the mechanics.
Reportedly, Microsoft is also sending rotten apples to smartphone users to market the said promo. It isnot sending real, rotten apples but digital postcards with an image of the decaying fruit and a heading that says, "Ditch that old apple."
Chris Matyszczyk of CNET received such an offer via email with "You deserve something better" as the subject line. The copy essentially states what is posted on the Microsoft Store - old Apple or Samsung for a new Nokia Lumia.
"I do like the Lumia. I've always liked Nokia phones. But I'm one of those people who is embedded in the Apple ecosystem and has, at least for the couple of years I've had an iPhone, insufficient reason to leave," Matyszczyk expressed his opinion about Microsoft's move. He added that he didn't even own an iPhone 4s and wondered how Microsoft got that idea.
While some may see the two-year contract as the dark side of the deal, one must remember that Microsoft is asking for older smartphones in exchange for its newer Lumia handsets. Of course, switching from Apple to a Windows-based phone can be a matter of acquired taste for iDevice fans and it's unlikely that iPhone users will make the switch, as iOS and Windows Phone are as different as apple and oranges (pun intended).
However, it doesn't mean that Lumia 1020 or Lumia 1520 aren't good smartphones. On the contrary, they're two of the best Windows Phone 8 smartphones currently available in the market and so, if you're not happy with your Android or iOS device and want to try out Windows Phone, this could be the best time to make the switch.
The Lumia 1020 has a polycarbonate body and features a 4.5-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 768 x 1280 pixels. Under the hood is a dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 working with a 2GB RAM. It has a 41-megapixel camera that can certainly make cameras of other smartphones hide in shame.
The Lumia 1520, on the other hand, has a six-inch IPS LCD screen with a resolution of 1080 x 1920 pixels. Compared to Lumia 1020, the main camera of this Windows Phone 8 handset features a 20-megapixel sensor. However, it makes up for it with better specifications that guarantee smooth performance. It has a Snapdragon 800 quad-core chip working with a 2GB RAM. The handset has 32GB internal storage and the space can be expanded using a microSD or a microSDHC.
Meanwhile, Microsoft is asking for older phones that, of course, have inferior specifications. The iPhone 4s, for example, has a smaller screen with a resolution of 640 x 960 pixels, an 8-megapixel camera, and a dual-core 800MHz A5 processor. The iPhone 4 is even a few more steps behind with just a 5-megapixel camera and a single-core chip.
The Galaxy S2 has a 4.3-inch Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 800 x 480 pixels. Under its chassis is a dual-core Exynos 4 chip clocking at 1.2GHz working with a 1GB RAM. It also has an 8-megapixel camera.
