Nokia unveils entry-level Lumia 525 as successor to the popular Lumia 520

Nokia on Wednesday announced the Lumia 525 smartphone, the successor to the popular Lumia 520. The Finnish handset maker must be under the assumption that if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it as the 525 is nearly identical to the model it replaces both in terms of aesthetics and specifications.

The entry-level Windows Phone features a 4-inch touchscreen display operating at a resolution of 800 x 480 with measurements of 119.9mm x 64mm x 9.9mm and a weight of 124g. Under the hood is a dual-core 1GHz Snapdragon S4 processor, 1GB of system RAM and 8GB of internal flash memory. Storage capacity can be boosted via the microSD card slot, we’re told.

Around back is a 5-megapixel camera with auto focus that can record video in 720p but there is no flash for low-light photo opportunities. The handset does support microUSB, Bluetooth 4.0 and 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi but LTE is missing in exchange for 21Mbps HSPA+ network support. Battery life is rated at up to 14 days in standby, 10.6 hours of talk time and 5.9 hours of video playback from the 1430mAh battery pack.

The 525 also features the same removable and interchangeable back covers from the 520 available in red, yellow and white. Unfortunately, the handset won’t be arriving in the US or the UK as Nokia’s website only lists Africa, Asia Pacific and the Middle East regions for launch. We are hearing that it has been announced in China, however, priced at around $180 off-contract.