Microsoft rumoured to be developing Lumia smartphone with front-facing LED flash

Microsoft is rumoured to be developing a new Lumia smartphone featuring a front-facing LED flash, according to a PhoneArena report that quotes well known technology tipster @evleaks.

While there is no official word on the latest leak, considering the recent performance of Microsoft's own Windows Phone operating system, the launch of a completely revamped Lumia smartphone in the near future cannot be ruled out.

Recently, Microsoft had announced it would axe 7,800 jobs in its mobile hardware business and write off $7.6bn against its purchase of Nokia's mobile phone business, as part of a restructuring exercise. It was also expected to streamline Windows Phone handsets.

Windows Phone struggling for market share in US

A recent survey by comScore revealed that Microsoft's Windows Phone lost 0.5% of the market share with respect to user base and its total share of the pie stood at 3.0% as of May 2015.

Even Microsoft's first exclusively branded Windows Phone, the Lumia 535, touted before its release as the device to look out for to boost Windows Phone usage, has failed to attract users in the US – especially Nokia old-timers who have migrated to rival mobile OSes.

Google's Android still dominated the market in the US, with a whopping 52.1% share despite a 0.7% drop as of May 2015.

These statistics clearly indicate that Microsoft's Windows Phone strategy requires a huge shot in the arm.

As such, Microsoft could be looking at launching high-end Lumias, to compete with top-notch Android flagships, with some out-of-the-box ideas such as the rumoured front LED flash.

Rumours are doing the rounds that the next Lumia smartphone being launched is a flagship. It is possible that this device could feature a front-facing LED flash.

With Microsoft also having scheduled the launch of Windows 10 Mobile after the PC version of Windows 10, the next rumoured Lumia flagship could even run Windows 10 Mobile straight out of the box in an apparent bid to boost Windows Phone usage among the masses.

The technical specifications of Microsoft's rumoured new Lumia with front LED flash are yet to surface.