While Android and iOS went on to dominate the smartphone space, Nokia was headed in a bold new direction — toward a partnership with Microsoft that resulted in the Lumia line. Nokia Lumia 500 was one of them and was aimed towards those who begun with their Windows Phone journey. While it was far from a flagship, the Lumia 500 was instrumental in bringing a modern smartphone experience to millions of people throughout the early 2010s.
Nokia Lumia 500: the future of mobile? Let’s take a closer look as we discuss design, features, performance, and how current the phone is in the modern age, as we check out a device that you wouldn’t be faulted for never having even heard of… The post comprised of the Nokia Lumia 500… a phone that once was but now isn’t… exists by virtue of having existed… which back in 2011 was a pretty big deal.
Design and Build Quality
The Nokia Lumia 500 maintained the timeless design: sturdy polycarbonate shell, rounded edges and very well put controls. It was available in several colorful and bright hues, including cyan, black, red and white –which would be a defining feature of Lumia phones.
Light-weight and convenient to hold with a slim 135g body and 3.7-inch TFT capacitive touch screen. For a budget device, the Lumia 500 felt solid in the hand, which is what you’d expect from Nokia; the company has a solid reputation for building durable phones. Display: Compact and Clear
The 500 featured a 3.7-inch screen at 800×480 pixels – not bad for its day in terms of pixel density. It might not have the sharpness and punchiness as a lot of the OLED displays out there today, but it was a bright, clear screen with good visibility in direct sunlight.
Performance and Software
Driving the phone was a 1GHz Snapdragon S1 processor along with 256MB of RAM inside and 8GB of storage. It had no microSD support to expand storage, but it had SkyDrive (now the OneDrive) cloud backup from its Windows integration.
It was powered by Windows Phone 7.5 Mango, which brought a clean and distinctive user interface with what we know now as Live Tiles. When Android and iOS’s home screens were messy and overflowing, Windows Phone was clean and gesture friendly.
Its app story was limited but built-in applications were strong enough –Outlook, Internet Explorer, Calendar, Messaging, and Office integration for basic users. It also packed in its own set of apps, such as Nokia Maps and Nokia Music.
Camera
The Nokia Lumia 500 had a 5MP camera on the rear with no front camera, but also no flash. It was “meh’ at best compared to high-end smartphones, but it was good enough for snapping daytime photos and uploading to social media.
The camera features were primitive; there was no autofocus or high-end options, but Nokia’s imaging software got the most out of the hardware.
Battery Life
The 1300mAh removable battery on Lumia 500 was a well appreciated feature and it easily gave one full day of battery life with moderate usage. This Windows Phone had excellent standby time due to the OS’ optimized background management – often, light users went about two days between charges.
Connectivity
The Lumia 500 was equipped with fundamental connection features such as:
- 3G support
- Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n
- Bluetooth 2.1
- A-GPS
- Micro-USB charging
It didn’t have 4G or NFC, but that was understandable considering its price point back in the early 2010s.
Pricing & Availability (Then vs Now)
The Nokia Lumia 500 was the most budget-friendly Windows Phone at launch, selling for ₹9,000 to ₹10,000 in India. It is no longer in production today and is collector’s item for tech enthusiasts and those who love vintage phones.
There may still be used or refurbished models available at marketplaces, but it is no longer compatible with today’s apps or networks.
Final Verdict
The Nokia Lumia 500 is not the kind of device that’s exactly relevant in today’s smartphone market but it’s an integral part of the Finnish manufacturer’s foray into current-generation mobile operating environments. It was a refreshing design, solid build and an interesting software experience for the price.
Although it may not hold up to today’s standards for smartphones, it serves as a testament to a daring move when it comes to changing up the game for the smartphone segment. If you’re a tech hoarder or nostalgia-powered user, then the Nokia Lumia 500 is a small but remarkable piece of mobile history.