You might be thinking $150 for a smartphone running Microsoft’s mobile Windows Phone 8 operating system isn’t really all that cheap.
After all, most high-end smartphones only cost $199 when you sign the contract. However, the $150 price tag of the Lumia 521 stands as it is, meaning, no contract.
That’s right, you can walk in and plunk down the $150 and walk out with this device without having to spend money each month being tied to a wireless carrier. The next thing that might go through your mind is if it’s this cheap, it will only be offered in developing countries.
That’s not the case either. The phone will go on sale this weekend via the Home Shopping Network and next month you can get the device in Walmart stores around the country.
Then again, one of the potential biggest caveats for many users is that the device will only work via T-Mobile, which has a rather spotty network in many parts of the country, especially when you get outside of major cities or off major highways.
The smartphone boasts a four-inch display with a resolution of 800×480. It is powered by a 1 GHz dual-core processor and features a five-megapixel camera. The phone doesn’t support LTE, but will operate on T-Mobile’s HSPA+ network. Customers who purchase the phone from Walmart will be able to use it on the $30 monthly no contract plan with T-Mobile.
