IFA 2017 | The Trekstor WinPhone 5.0 is the better of two new Windows Phones and will likely appeal to businesses

There has been a slow decline in Windows Phone with no new devices from Microsoft since late 2015, a a lack of updates for software on the platform, and only teasers about the Surface Phone. However, there are a significant number of businesses who are either too invested in the ecosystem to easily transfer or don’t have the budget for replacement with phones that have continuing security update support, such as the iPhone or Pixel. These businesses need decent budget and mid-range devices to hold them over until Microsoft breathes life back into their platform, or until they can move to another ecosystem.

These requirements are likely why there were two new Windows Phones announced at IFA 2017. The first was a thoroughly budget-spec’d handset from WileyFox with a not-so-budget-friendly price of 250 Euros (US$296). The phone features a Snapdragon 210 (from 2014), 2 GB RAM, 720p display, 2100 mAh battery, and an 8 MP rear camera, which we believe makes the phone significantly overpriced when compared to the older entry level Lumia phones. It appears to be an underwhelming phone at best.

The other is the Trekstor WinPhone 5.0, with a rumored price of less than 300 Euro (US$355, although price not confirmed). It packs a slightly newer Snapdragon 617, 3 GB RAM, 16 GB Storage, and a 720p screen, so if the rumored price is correct then it will be much better value than the offering from WileyFox. The body is made of a glass back panel with aluminum wrapping around the frame, which is good considering that for the target business market, having a phone that looks ‘business class’ is often a key purchase decision.

While neither is 'flagship class,' it is interesting to see companies still producing Windows Phones to fill the gap until Microsoft (hopefully) brings us a surface phone. There won’t be many consumers trying to get their hands on these, but there are likely some relieved businesses who will have a way to delay the expense of switching thousands of phones to a new ecosystem.

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