AT&T's website has the Nokia Lumia 900 with a slashed price of $49, around 50 percent off the original $100 price. Speculation was rife, claiming that Nokia is cutting the price to stimulate sales ahead of the Windows Phone 8 launch, which will not support the device. Nokia, however, pooh-poohs the claim and insists that the pricing is "normal strategy".

The Windows Phone 8's only feature moving to Windows Phone 7 devices is the start screen, which brings three tiles sizes - small, medium, and large - and can be resized as part of the Windows 7.8 update. Considering the fact that Nokia's devices arguably show the best of hardware design among smartphones, it's both worrying and curious as to why Microsoft is effectively abandoning the devices.

"This move is a normal strategy that is put in place during the life cycle of most phones. [It] allows a broader consumer base to buy the flagship device at a more accessible price," Nokia spokesman Doug Dawson said to The Wall Street Journal. Additionally, AT&T had claimed that the launch of the Lumia 900 in April 2012 was its biggest ever and the $99 price was seen as great value.

Cutting prices of devices isn't an oddity or unheard of. Apple is known to slash the prices of previous versions of the iPhone - the 3GS is available for free on contract and is still supported by Apple. Google too has reduced the price of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus to $349 SIM-free despite the latter device running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, which is the latest version of the Android OS.

However, all is not lost for Nokia as a survey found that over 90 percent of Lumia 900 owners were satisfied with the device. The findings were published prior to the price cut; therefore, it would seem a sub-$100 price is enough to sell units.

With a 4.3-inch screen, the Lumia 900 is seen as a bigger version of the Lumia 800, which launched in 2011. While the Windows Phone 7 experience is basically identical across devices, save Nokia's custom apps, the form factor and colors - blue, pink, black, and white - available is praise-worthy and a contrast to the plastic materials common in Android phones.

Users looking for a flagship device, with great hardware and consistently smooth UI, probably won't find a better deal than this one.