Microsoft has been striving for success in the smartphone market for decades now. In the 2000s, they launched Windows Mobile which then offered desktop-class features in a mobile device. Later on, they released the completely new Windows Phone 7 OS which was way, way ahead than anything else in the design and performance department, but lost when it came to apps. 

Microsoft kept trying, though, with some awesome phones from brands like HTC and Nokia, yet it never really amounted to mainstream Apple or Samsung-like success. They even acquired Nokia’s mobile division for $7 billion, but that didn’t work out, either. 

Now, Microsoft sells budget smartphones under its own brand. These are some of the nicest budget phones you can buy in 2016-2017, as they offer easy-to-use software in well-designed, nice-looking phones which offer amazing performance, especially for their price. 

While Microsoft does offer high-end phones, we would suggest you to steer clear of them. If you are paying more than Rs. 50,000-60,000 for a phone, you had better get the best in class - you’ll get that from Samsung, Apple, Google, and Huawei for now.