Microsoft's Lumia 435 Was Supposed To Be Bezel-Less But It Was Canceled

Large displays with an 18:9 aspect ratio and thin bezels are the most popular smartphone trends this 2017. However, it looks like Microsoft was ahead of its game way back in 2014 with the "bezel-less" Lumia 435, which was never actually released to consumers.

During the phone’s development, it was given the codename “Vela.” The device itself was intended to be a low-end smartphone with an “all-screen” design and would only cost less than $200. The device never reached the smartphone market, but Windows Central was able to acquire one of the prototypes of the Microsoft Lumia 435.

The Lumia 435 was supposed to run Window 8.1 and feature a 5-inch LCD 720p HD display. Its exterior appearance is very similar to Microsoft’s other Lumia-branded smartphones in 2014. The prototype that Windows Central has appears to have a green shell removable back. Overall, it looks a bit plasticky and cheap.

The only thing that’s really great about the phone is that it features a bezel-less design, which wasn’t even something that other major phone makers were doing in 2014. That said, it still comes with a large chin on the bottom of the display. The two bezels on its sides only measure 3mm, while the one on top is only 4.4mm. The phone has a screen-to-body ratio of 79 percent, which was the most of any smartphone at the time. The prototype’s design is a bit reminiscent of Xiaomi’s first Mi Mix from last year. However, this prototype Lumia 435 still has a traditional earpiece speaker that’s tucked on top of the display.

Inside, the Lumia 435 prototype is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 200 processor along with 4GB of storage and 1GB of RAM. The storage is expandable up to 200GB via microSD card, while the handset is equipped with a 1,800 mAh battery. The handset was also intended to debut with dual-SIM card support.

On the back, the prototype has a 5-megapixel camera. The bezel-less smartphone’s camera performance is said to be just “OK” and best works in well-lit scenarios. Low lighting conditions and night shots are described as being “bad,” however. Up front, the handset has a 720p HD selfie camera. Unfortunately, the handset is running unfinished Windows 8.1 software so the camera was unusable.

It seems like Microsoft was ahead of its time. It might have been a low-end phone, but it definitely was unique and could have caught people’s attention. It remains unclear why Microsoft decided to ditch this bezel-less design for the Lumia 435, but it looks like the company missed an opportunity to stand out from the rest of the competition. The company did release a Lumia 435 handset in early 2015, but that ended up being a very forgettable $50 phone.

Yesterday, Microsoft executive Joe Belfiore confirmed via Twitter that Windows Phone is dead. Belfiore said that Microsoft will no longer be making Windows handsets nor will it release a new version of its mobile software. However, Microsoft will continue to support the platform by providing existing users with bug fixes and security updates.