Nokia chief executive Stephen Elop launched two messaging phones - Asha 200 and Asha 201- aimed primarily at the Indian mass market. Asha 200 is a dual-SIM handset, while Asha 201 is a single SIM device.
The erstwhile market leader in the cell market has been struggling a little lately with the combined losses of 436 million euros, or $606 million, in the second and third quarters. It had also had to down size its work force globally by 18%.
But Nokia India MD D Shivakumar says the company's profile is looking up in India. Although data is unavailable, sale of Nokia handsets have roughly quadrupled in the third quarter, he says. With the Asha phones, Nokia is hoping to capture the next generation of a billion young users, who would like to use their mobiles to connect with the Net. Blanca Juti, vice-president, Nokia Mobile Phones Marketing, says the phones are meant to catch the fancy of the 25-year-old, who wants to stay connected on the move.
Though both phones are feature devices rather than smartphones they can still down load Java applications in addition to the ones built into the handsets. Pre-installed software includes a web browser, a music player, and networking support.
"Bulk penetration in the Indian market will happen in the next three or four years, and the Asha phones are the right vehicles of change," says Shivakumar. The London event's focus though was on the launch of the smart Windows Phone Lumia 800 and Lumia 710.
The company is making a rather late entry into a field dominated by smarties like Google, Apple and Samsung. Nokia's share of the global smart phone market has fallen by nearly half, to 15.5% in September from 27.5% in December.
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