The Windows 10 devices event on Oct. 6 is where Microsoft will launch three new Lumia smartphones, aiming at very different market niches.
The Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL carry premium specs and are expected to be the new flagships of the company, while Lumia 550 is a new addition to the affordable line of Windows phones. Rumors claim that there is a third model in the final development stage, and that it aims to reach a balance between the premium flagships and the low-end Lumia 550.
Sources say Microsoft wants to offer a mid-range Windows 10 handset, which will probably be announced after the Lumia 950/950 XL and Lumia 550 hit stores. Inspired by the Lumia 930's design, the new model will feature a metallic chassis. The mysterious new phone wants to follow in the steps of the Lumia 830 in an attempt to become an "affordable flagship."
The release of the device will likely happen in spring 2016. The timing is set so that the hype for the October release of the Lumia models will be replaced with enthusiasm for the incoming phone. Executives from Microsoft alluded to the launch earlier this year.
Microsoft hopes to release one to two models annually in three different categories.
"Business-focused devices, phones for customers looking for low-price smartphones, and high-end devices for Windows enthusiasts" are expected, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said.
The premium finishing would be premiere in the all-plastic Lumia family, and decent specs might help promote the phone to a wide array of users. There is little information about the actual hardware of the future device, but the company is determined to sell it at an affordable price. This suggests that the capacity of the phone will be somewhere between the Lumia 550 and Lumina 950.
Fans of Windows phones who are looking forward to the Lumia 830 successor should brace themselves with patience, as a sudden decision of the producer might cancel the gadget entirely. Microsoft faced financial turbulence following the acquisition of the handset division from Nokia in 2014, which led to a $7.6 billion write-off and thousands of staff cuts from its Mobile Division.
At the moment, Microsoft ships under 40 million Windows Phones yearly, and 97 percent of them are Lumia models.
