Microsoft made several smartphones during its time as a hardware maker, including the flagship Lumia 950 and the entry-level Lumia 535. Now a new leak has given us a look at another Microsoft phone, but this one is a little different than those aforementioned Lumias.
New photos show a Microsoft feature phone that was never released. The folks at Windows Central got hold of the device, which is known as the RM-1182 and is described as an "early prototype". The device was reportedly in development in 2015, but it's said that Microsoft canceled this and several other phones as part of an effort to scale back its focus on mobile hardware.
The software on this Microsoft RM-1182 is a feature phone OS that's been skinned to look like Windows 10 Mobile. That includes a Start screen with a live tile-style layout that can be rearranged and app icons that can show missed notifications. The built-in apps include basic stuff like Phone, SMS, and Contacts, as well as Microsoft apps like Outlook Mail, GroupMe, and OneNote. There's also a quick action center in the Settings app and some preloaded games.
The hardware looks to be pretty typical feature phone stuff. It's got a 2.5-inch screen, rear camera, and a 1200mAh battery, all packed into a plastic shell. There's a T9 keyboard along with Send and End buttons, a d-pad, and menu keys, and around back is a Microsoft logo, as seen in a leak from 2016.
Considering that this device was developed back in 2015 and the fact that Microsoft has pretty much moved on from mobile hardware at this point, it's unlikely that we'll see this RM-1182 or any Microsoft feature phone come to market. That said, it's fun to get a look at unreleased hardware, especially an oddity like this one. Microsoft made some entry-level smartphones, but this device would likely be the most affordable one we saw from the company.
Hit the link below to check out some more photos of this unreleased Microsoft feature phone.