Angry Birds and PES 2012 won't run on low-end Nokia Windows Phones

Lumia 610 highlights ecosystem split

Low-end Windows Phone handsets from Nokia won't be able to run some of the platform's most popular apps, it's been revealed.

According to Spanish website Windows Phone Apps, the likes of Angry Birds and PES 2012 are currently unavailable to Lumia 610 owners.

The site claims testing Nokia's latest low-end handset – specifically designed for the European and Asian markets – reveals users are barred from downloading the apps in requestion due the 610's RAM restrictions.

RAM rights

Users attempting to download and install said releases are hit by a notification claiming they require "a phone with more RAM than the Nokia Lumia 610."

The block has reportedly been put in place by Nokia rather than Microsoft, with the Finnish firm restricting said apps to devices with more than 256MB of RAM to ensure the apps perform to standard.

Indeed, Microsoft appears to have not set policy in place, instead simply estimating that around 95 percent of apps designed for Tango – the next major update to the Windows Phone platform – would run on devices with 256MB of RAM.

High and low

Nokia's response appears an attempt to ensure Windows Phone doesn't get dragged into the issues of fragmentation that have dogged Android since its inception, with users barred from installing certain apps rather than running them and suffering poor performance.

Nonetheless, as Microsoft looks to present a universal platform, the revelation that not all handsets are equal may alarm consumers.

Low-end devices such as the Lumia 610 are vitally important to the platform's growth as it looks to eat into Android's share in developing markets

The news comes as speculation continues to surround just how Microsoft will implement the delivery of Windows Phone 8 – expected late this year – to Windows Phone 7 handsets, with the suggestion being existing devices may be barred from updating the OS.

And it's also worth pointing out in this context that it's increasingly the case that high-end iOS games don't support older devices such as the iPhone 3GS or the original iPad. 



[source: WMPowerUser]

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