The next Windows Phone 8.1 handset may be all about selfies

Nokia front-facing camera
Superman for selfies

Could the world be ready for a (another) smartphone dedicated to the act of taking better selfies? Microsoft apparently thinks so, but just in case it's also got an improved midrange handset on the way. Never a bad idea to cover your bases.

The Verge has word Microsoft plans to leave no stone unturned with its next pair of Windows Phone 8.1 devices, with a big wig showing off smartphones on both ends of the spectrum at an annual internal meeting this week.

According to unnamed insider sources, Microsoft Vice President of Devices & Services Stephen Elop debuted an upcoming handset he referred to as a "selfie phone," presumably the same device teased back in April under the code name Superman.

Intended for the lower end of the pricing spectrum, the budget handset has previously been described as featuring a 4.7-inch display with a selfie-friendly 5MP front-facing camera.

Launching very soon?

Sources claimed a second handset code named Tesla is also in the cards, and it's described as a "thinner" and "less bulky" version of the Nokia Lumia 930.

The goal with Tesla appears to be pushing Nokia's PureView camera technology further down the pricing food chain, with Elop describing the device as an "affordable high-end phone" during the presentation and in an accompanying video teaser.

The report claims Tesla is likely positioned as a replacement for the Lumia 720. A leak earlier this month suggested Tesla could drive into our lives under the name Lumia 830.

Windows Phone fans may not have to wait long to see what Microsoft has up its sleeve: An internal memo leaked less than two weeks ago claimed the company was gearing up for "other high-end products... very soon," suggesting an imminent launch could be in the cards.

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