Microsoft's Cheap New Smartphone Looks Like It Will Have An Awesome Camera

Microsoft just unveiled its newest flagship Windows Phone device, the Lumia 830, which is said to be aimed at bringing high-end camera features to a lower price tier.

Microsoft says the Lumia 830 will cost about $430 before taxes and subsidies, meaning it'll be relatively cheap when you buy it on contract with a carrier.

Keeping with the Lumia line that Nokia started before Microsoft bought its mobile division, the Lumia 830 features a blocky, colorful design. The real selling point, however, seems to be its 10-megapixel PureView camera with Carl Zeiss optics.

Traditionally, the PureView camera technology has been reserved for higher end smartphones like the Lumia 920 and Lumia 1020. But Microsoft is describing the Lumia 830 as an "affordable flagship," which is why its porting over Nokia's more premium camera technology.

PureView is Nokia and Microsoft's image capturing technology. This PureView sensor preserves clarity and detail in images by using a process called oversampling. This essentially means the sensor is combining many pixels into one "perfect" pixel, as Nokia explains in its white paper on the technology.

The Lumia 830 will also be one of the first smartphones to come with Microsoft's most recent Windows Phone update known as Lumia Denim. This includes some improvements to Cortana, the new guest mode-like Apps Corner, and the ability to merge apps into folders among other features.

It also comes with a 5-inch 1280 x 720 resolution screen and a battery that Microsoft says will last for 22 hours on a full charge. The Lumia 830 will be available this month around the world, but Microsoft hasn't mentioned exactly when to expect it.