Nokia unveiled its first Android-based Nokia X smartphone, codenamed Normandy, at the MWC conference in Barcelona, Monday, to attract budget-conscious buyers in emerging markets.
Nokia, one of the biggest smartphone makers, added five new entries to its extensive lineup of smartphones and feature phones. The new entrants include the most-talked-about Nokia X series, targeting the low-end and mid-range smartphones and run Google's popular Android OS. The Finnish maker says the Nokia X family is a three-way mash-up, packed with Android apps, Microsoft services and company's own signature experiences.
The latest Nokia X, Nokia X+ and Nokia XL smartphones mark the company's change of track from its traditional Windows Phone OS, which powers all the Lumia handsets. Though it is based on Android, the Nokia X family has more than a few tweaks with changes including the replacement of Google Play Store with Nokia Store, Google Maps with Here Maps and Google Search with Bing and Skype. The devices feature the company's tile-based UI. This way Nokia has connected its new lineup with both Google and Microsoft.
"Our deliberate approach is to offer four tiers of products including our affordable entry-level devices like the new Nokia 220; our entry-level Asha touch phones like the new Nokia Asha 230; our new Nokia X, Nokia X+ and Nokia XL smartphones primarily for growth economies; and our Lumia portfolio, which is where we introduce the greatest innovation and provide full compatibility with the Microsoft experience," Stephen Elop, executive vice president of Nokia's Devices & Services, said in a press release.
Specifications:
Nokia X smartphone features a 4-inch IPS display with 800 x 480 screen resolution and is powered by 1 GHz dual-core Snapdragon 200 processor. The Nokia X shoots images at 3-megapixels and features dual-SIM support.
Next up is the Nokia X+, which is slightly advanced than the lower model. The handset features extra storage and an SD card slot in addition to all the features present in Nokia X.
Finally, Nokia XL is the highest of all the models announced, Monday. It sports a 5-inch display with 5-megapixel rear facing camera and a 2 megapixel front shooter.
All handsets will be available in bright green, cyan, yellow, black and white. Additionally, the Nokia XL will be available in orange hue, while the Nokia X and X+ will be seen in bright red.
Pricing:
Nokia's latest introductions mainly focus on the emerging markets for its low-budget price. The attractive price range starts at $122, excluding carrier subsidies and taxes, for the Nokia X in Asia-Pacific, Europe, India, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa where the handset is already available. The Nokia X+ and Nokia XL will be available during the second quarter EUR 99 ($136) and EUR 109 ($150), respectively.
Nokia also announced full-touch Asha 230, extending its wide range of budget-friendly Asha lineup, and Nokia 220, an internet ready mobile phone with social apps integration. The prices are affordable for both devices, which retails at EUR 29 (about $40) for Nokia 220 and EUR 45 (around $60) for Asha 230.
