Microsoft Explains Why the Lumia 650 Doesn't Have Continuum

Microsoft on Monday revealed its latest Windows 10 Mobile device, the Lumia 650 and stressed that the new device will be a perfect fit for consumers looking at built-in support for Microsoft business apps at an affordable price.

Much like other Windows 10 devices, the Lumia 650 packs Microsoft suite of productivity apps including Office apps, for creating and editing documents on-the-go; OneDrive, for cloud storage, and Cortana, Microsoft's personal assistant. One of the biggest surprises with the Lumia 650's launch however, was that it doesn't feature the most notable feature of Windows 10 Mobile - Continuum - which allows users to connect the smartphone to a display and use it as a Windows 10 computer with a desktop-like interface.

A Microsoft spokesperson confirmed the reasons for the omission to SlashGear, saying, "We are aiming to deliver the most productive Windows 10 Mobile devices at all price points. With the Microsoft Lumia 650, our goal was to create a beautiful device that's affordable for businesses to buy and deploy. In this price range we are giving customers smart business tools, including seamless Office and OneDrive integration and Cortana, so users can stay productive and synced across all Windows 10 devices. We encourage users looking for Continuum productivity features to explore the Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL."

For those unaware, with the Windows 10 Continuum feature users can hook their smartphones with a monitor along with a mouse and keyboard, using the Microsoft Display Dock. Once connected, the phone's user interface switches to an interface that looks like a Windows 10 desktop with Start menu and other elements.

Continuum for Phone support page also lists some of the reasons why the Microsoft Lumia 650 misses out the feature. According to the page, minimum requirements for Continuum for phones include Qualcomm Snapdragon 617 (MS8952), Snapdragon 808 (MSM8992), and Snapdragon 810 (MS8994) processors; 2GB RAM for phones with display resolution support for HD (720x1280 pixels); 16GB of non-removable storage; Bluetooth 4.0; supports at least Wi-Fi 802.11n dual band; supports Windows 10 Miracast extensions, and USB 2.0.