Redmond's numbers in the mobile market leave much to be desired, and even some spokespeople admitted that Windows 10 Mobile is not a priority for 2016. However, advances in areas like universal apps and the interest of certain manufacturers are keeping it afloat. One such manufacturer is NuAns, which presented its smartphone NEO on Kickstarter, with a design very different from what we find on store shelves today.
A Difficult Year for Windows 10 Mobile
Gartner placed Windows Phone in its latest report for the first quarter of the year below 1 percent of the market. Terry Myerson of Microsoft admitted in March that the platform "is not the spearhead" this year, and when it comes to priorities, Redmond is aiming at much larger formats. As someone who has followed Windows on mobile in silence for the past few months, I have no doubt that the launch of Windows 10 Mobile was chaos. And as if that weren't enough, several models that were promised updates were left without them (the Lumia 520 comes to mind first), causing forums to explode. However, Windows 10 Mobile has some very interesting elements, including Continuum and universal apps. Several companies are working on new apps, and although Microsoft doesn't seem to intend to release a new phone, the NuAns NEO appears on the horizon.
NuAns NEO: A Different Design
At first glance, the NuAns NEO is not an ordinary smartphone. Instead of the classic thin design with glass and aluminum, the NuAns NEO has a much more organic appearance and considerable thickness. According to specifications, it reaches 11.3 millimeters, about the same thickness as a smartphone with extended batteries. NuAns's goal here is to break the trend and avoid the apparent stagnation that affects all modern smartphone designs. Windows 10 Mobile, with its straightforward update system, should be able to implement each new feature as it is released. The hardware is based on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 617 with eight cores at 1.5 GHz, 2 GB of RAM, 16 GB of internal storage, a microSD slot, a five-inch 720p screen, two cameras (13 and 5 megapixels respectively), WiFi ac connectivity, 16 hours of voice, the full set of sensors, and a USB Type-C port for charging. Another striking detail: you can "hide" an NFC-compatible card under the back cover.
Crowdfunding the NEO
NuAns seems to have almost everything ready, but interest is everything here, and the best way to measure it effectively is crowdfunding. That's how we discovered its Kickstarter campaign, which aims to raise a total of $725,000 to enable the next phase. The price? Between $270 and $325, with worldwide shipping. NuAns indicates broad support in Europe and Latin America, and if all goes well, the first deliveries will take place in November. Surely Windows 10 Mobile will be much better prepared by then.
