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Oh look! New Lumia 525 quietly boosts Nokia's low end

The update to Nokia's popular budget smartphone makes an unassuming debut. Too bad it may not come your way anytime soon.

Roger Cheng Former Executive Editor / Head of News
Roger Cheng (he/him/his) was the executive editor in charge of CNET News, managing everything from daily breaking news to in-depth investigative packages. Prior to this, he was on the telecommunications beat and wrote for Dow Jones Newswires and The Wall Street Journal for nearly a decade and got his start writing and laying out pages at a local paper in Southern California. He's a devoted Trojan alum and thinks sleep is the perfect -- if unattainable -- hobby for a parent.
Expertise Mobile, 5G, Big Tech, Social Media Credentials
  • SABEW Best in Business 2011 Award for Breaking News Coverage, Eddie Award in 2020 for 5G coverage, runner-up National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Award for culture analysis.
Roger Cheng
The Nokia Lumia 525. Nokia

Nokia is boosting its bet on the budget side of the smartphone business.

The smartphone maker quietly released the details of the Lumia 525, an upgraded version of its original low-end Lumia 520, which debuted in February during Mobile World Congress.

For Nokia, it's a continued push to the low end, which has brought it some success in many international markets. In contrast, the company has struggled a bit in the high-end segment, particularly in Western markets.

The Lumia 525 offers double the RAM at 1GB, the company's trademark colorful -- and interchangeable -- covers, and more special effects for its camera.

The phone doesn't appear to be headed to the United States -- at least not right away. A list of the local product pages include countries in Africa, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East. Not included are North America, Europe, and South America.

Still, the phone could emerge as an unlocked prepaid device down the line.