Nokia halves Lumia 900 price in advance of Windows Phone 8

FINNISH PHONE MAKER Nokia has cut the price of its flagship Nokia Lumia 900 smartphone in half, following the news that it won't be upgraded to Windows Phone 8.

The top-end Windows Phone can now be picked up for just $49.99 on US network AT&T, despite previously fetching $99.99. This suggests that sales of the Lumia 900 have been slow in the US and are unlikely to pick up following the launch of Microsoft's Windows Phone 8 operating system.

Nokia told us, "This is a normal strategy that is put in place during the lifecycle of most phones, and allows a broader consumer base to buy this flagship device at a more accessible price."

It's unclear whether the Lumia 900 will receive a similar discount here in the UK, and Nokia was unable to commit either way at the time of writing.

Featuring a 4.3in touchscreen, Nokia's Lumia 900 is a higher-end alternative to its Lumia 800 handset. Buyers also get a 1.4GHz processor, Windows Phone 7.5, an 8MP rear-facing camera, a 1.3MP front-facing camera and 16GB of internal storage.

Although the Lumia 900 won't be upgradeable to Windows Phone 8, Nokia has promised that it will receive Windows Phone 7.8, giving it Microsoft's new customisable user interface. µ