Affordable Windows Phone ZTE Tania Launches In UK

Chinese manufacturer ZTE has launched what it claims is the most affordable 4.3 inch Windows Phone on the market in the UK.

The ZTE Tania is the company’s first Windows Phone to be released and will be sold on contract at tariff points ranging between £10 and £20.

Most Affordable Windows Phone Ever

The phone boasts a 4.3 inch multi-touch display and is powered by a 1GHz Qualcomm Scorpion processor with 4GB internal storage and 512 MB of RAM on board. A five megapixel camera is placed on the rear of the device, while the phone is capable of capturing 720p video. Other features include Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Hotspot, GPS and an accelerometer.

The device will be launched with a number of key channels including Brightpoint, Go Mobile and Virgin Media.

“We’re delighted to be working with Microsoft and as a key partner will support the industry forecasted growth on this exciting new platform with both the ZTE Tania and in the future a growing range of devices,” said Wu Sa, director of mobile device operations at ZTE UK.

In July last year, ZTE announced that it was going to sell smartphones and tablets under its own brand in the UK for the first time, after previously making handsets for operators such as Three and Orange, but this marks the first time it has released a Windows Phone device of any description in the UK.

Strengthening the Platform

“Having ZTE join the Windows Phone family is great news,” commented Leila Martine, director of Windows Phone UK. “Their expertise will be crucial in delivering Windows Phone to new and different customers. We look forward to continuing and developing our relationship with ZTE in the future.”

In October it was revealed by an analyst that Microsoft may have sold just 1.4 million Windows Phone units during its first year of release. Since then however, Nokia has released its first phones running Microsoft’s mobile operating system following the agreement of a strategic partnership between the two companies.

In order to expand its market share, Microsoft has made plans to aim some Windows Phone devices at the lower end of the market in order to help it compete with rivals platforms such as Android and the release of the ZTE Tania serves as evidence that its plan is being put into effect.