Nokia’s lesser Windows Phone, the Lumia 710, starts shipping — headed to T-Mobile

If you’ve been dying to get your hands on Nokia’s Lumia 710, the company’s low-end Windows Phone device, today is a very good day indeed. Nokia has begun shipping the Lumia 710 to Asian countries as it begins the phone’s global roll-out.

And this time around, US consumers won’t have to wait too long for a new Nokia phone. T-Mobile has a New York City press event scheduled for next week, and it’s clear at this point that it’s gearing up to announce the Lumia 710, reports The Verge.

The Lumia 710 is basically a cheaper alternative to the Lumia 800, Nokia’s flagship Windows Phone. It features the same 3.7-inch display and 1.4 gigahertz CPU as the 800, but it packs in less storage (8 gigabytes), a lower-quality 5 megapixel camera, and slightly less battery life (6.9 hours of 3G talk time). The 710′s rear covers will also be swappable, allowing you to mix and match your color scheme.

While it’s nice to see the Lumia 710 headed to American shores, what we’re really waiting for are further details on the Lumia 800. At this point, it’s unclear when the Lumia 800 will reach the US, even though it’s been out in international markets for a few months.