By Amos Burkeywo
Mobile vendor Nokia has unveiled the first of a new family of Asha smartphones Nokia Asha 501 on Thursday.
The handset featured with bold colour design, a high-quality build and an innovative user interface is expected to drive the boundaries of affordable smartphone.
“The new Nokia Asha 501 raises the bar for what is possible in affordable smartphone design and optimisation,” said Timo Toikkanen, executive vice president, Mobile Phones, Nokia.
The Nokia vice president added that the synergy between the physical design and the engine that is the new Asha platform has created a smartphone with both style and substance at a great price.
The new Nokia device, first smartphone built on the new Asha platform is highly efficient, with an industry-leading standby time of up to 48 days.
The device, tailor-made to give people the best possible mobile experiences at an affordable price is available in single or EasySwap Dual SIM models and comes with WiFi and Bluetooth.
With the new Asha platform, developers can create apps for the Nokia Asha 501 that will be compatible with future Asha platform-based devices because of its open, standards-based environment for creating quality apps for consumers.
The many popular applications in the device includes CNN, eBuddy, ESPN, Facebook, Foursquare, Line, LinkedIn, Nimbuzz, Pictelligent, The Weather Channel, Twitter, WeChat, World of Red Bull and games from Electronic Arts, Gameloft, Indiagames, Namco Bandai and Reliance Games.
WhatsApp and other key partners are continuing to explore new Asha.
“Nokia has surpassed expectations of what’s achievable in the sub-100 USD phone category with a new Asha handset that is unlike any other, with design cues from Lumia and a mix of features, services and affordability that is valued by price-conscious buyers,” said Neil Mawston, executive director, Global Wireless Practice, Strategy Analytics.
The new device is expected to start shipping in June 2013 and will be available through approximately 60 operators and distributors in more than 90 countries worldwide.
The popularity of the Nokia Asha family has also prompted innovative approaches to bundled mobile services.
Nokia, Facebook and mobile network operator Airtel announced they have joined forces to offer data-free access to the standalone Facebook app, as well as the mobile site m.facebook.com.
By the end of the second quarter, current Airtel subscribers in Africa and India will be able to enjoy unlimited, data-free access to Facebook from their Nokia Asha 501 for a limited period of time.
