Microsoft is giving away Lumia 950 for free in the US and Canada with the purchase of Lumia 950 XL

In the United States and Canada, Microsoft is temporarily giving customers who order a Lumia 950 XL a Lumia 950 as a gift. Last week it appeared that the sales figures of Lumia smartphones have plummeted and that Microsoft has a relatively high inventory.

The Lumia 950 devices are currently being given away via the websites of the American and Canadian Microsoft Stores. Customers who purchase a Lumia 950 XL, for USD 649 or USD 849, will receive the smaller Lumia 950 as a gift with their order. Both smartphones have been on the market for just six months.

When the latest quarterly figures were announced last Friday, sales of Lumia smartphones plummeted in the past quarter. Lumia’s deliveries amounted to 2.3 million units, compared to 8.6 million units in the same period a year earlier.

Microsoft’s financial director Amy Wood announced that the stock of smartphones that have been produced but not yet delivered is relatively high. Wood also said he expects an even sharper decline in smartphone sales in the coming months. With the giving away of the Lumia 950 devices, Microsoft seems to want to get rid of stocks.

Microsoft itself does not explain the discount promotion, but it is clear that it is a temporary offer that applies from April 25 to May 1. It is not known whether a similar promotion will come to Europe. At the time of writing, the European Microsoft Stores are not showing a similar offer.