Microsoft expected to launch Lumia 650 on February 1

Microsoft will launch its new Lumia 650 smartphone on February 1 “with little fanfare,” according to sources familiar with the company’s plans. We had initially expected its arrival at Mobile World Congress, but it seems we won’t have to wait quite so long.

The Lumia 650 will be a midrange device powered by Windows 10 Mobile. It is expected to offer a 5-inch 720p display, a Snapdragon 210 or 212 processor, 1GB of RAM, 8GB of storage with a microSD card slot, and an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera.

Unlike other midrange Lumias, the Lumia 650 is expected to look and feel a little more high-end, with a metal chassis and matte plastic back that will be available in black or white — as demonstrated in the mockups above for Windows Central.

The Lumia 650 was approved by the FCC early this month with the RM-1152 model number. We expected the device to get its official unveiling at MWC, which kicks off on February 22 — but sources speaking to Windows Central say it will be announced on February 1.

That’s the good news. The bad news is, Microsoft isn’t expected to bring any other smartphones to MWC in late February, and there are whispers that the Lumia 650 will be its only Lumia smartphone of 2016. In fact, it could be the last Lumia ever.

Microsoft will instead focus its efforts on a new lineup of smartphones that will be released under the Surface brand, recent reports have claimed.

We’re not expecting a keynote or press conference for the Lumia 650; sources say it will be announced on the Microsoft blog.