Microsoft Lumia 840, 940, 940 XL release date: Launch by end of 2015?

The Nokia Lumia 930Nokia website

Not too long ago, a report popped up claiming that the Lumia 950 and 950 XL are Microsoft's next top-of-the-line mobile offerings. But a new report from Nokia Power User says that the Redmond-based company is not skipping a generation and will call its flagships the Lumia 940 and 940 XL. 

According to the publication, the pair of new Windows phones will be launched by the end of the year and will be followed by the Microsoft Lumia 840 shortly. Microsoft is going with on-screen buttons and not capacitive ones for the devices this time around. 

As for the rest of the specs, the Lumia 940 is expected to come with a 5.2-inch Quad HD display and a 565 ppi pixel density. It will house a 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 processor and 3 GB RAM, and will have 32 GB expandable storage space. The flagship is also rumored to sport a 20-megapixel rear-facing shooter and a 5-megapixel front-facing camera. To keep it alive, Microsoft is squeezing in a hefty 3000 mAh battery unit.

Meanwhile, the Lumia 940's big brother is different not just in terms of the size. The Microsoft Lumia 940 XL is said to get a 5.7-inch screen with the same 1440 x 2560 pixel resolution but lower pixel density of only 515 ppi. It will have the same Qualcomm chipset but it is set at a higher clock speed. The phablet will share the same capacity RAM and ROM but has a bigger 3300 mAh battery.  

They will have identical cameras as well. The same goes for their chassis, which is reportedly made of polycarbonate plastic and is expected to be 7 to 8 mm thick. 

Lastly, the Lumia 840 is speculated to be Microsoft's mid-range release. That said, it is likely coming with a 5-inch display, a 13-megapixel PureView primary camera, a 5-megapixel secondary snapper and dual SIM support. 

All three devices will likely be Microsoft's first Windows 10 Mobile-laden smartphones. With the OS previously tipped to be released in November, the devices are also expected to be made available around that time.