Beyond showcasing its latest X line-up that features devices running on android OS, Nokia unveiled the Asha 230 – an affordable full-touch device and Nokia 220 that comes pre-installed with social apps at an almost rock-bottom price tag. Determined to cater for those experiencing the internet for their very first time, Nokia Asha 230 and Nokia 220 are seemingly the cheapest of full-touch devices with the Nokia logo. Nokia Asha 230 comes with most of the benefits enjoyed on the Asha Platform, including Fastlane and access to popular social apps like Line, WeChat and WhatsApp. The most interesting feature of the duo is an almost rock-bottom price tag despite having a full-touch functionality, the X line-up might have carried the show but these two devices are definitely contenders within the budget segment.
During the launch event, Nokia’s Executive Vice President of Devices & Services Stephen Elop said, the company had made a deliberate approach to offer four tiers of products including the latest entry-level devices such as Nokia 220, new entry-level Asha touch phones like the new Nokia Asha 230 targeting primarily growth economies.
- The Nokia Asha 230 is Nokia’s most affordable full-touch Asha device to date, priced at EUR 45.
- The Nokia 220 is an Internet-ready mobile phone with social apps, priced at only EUR 29.
Nokia Asha 230
Nokia Asha 230’s camera is activated by swiping-up from the lock-screen while a single touch enables users to share images on their favorite social networks. With an expected software update, the Nokia Asha 230 will introduce 7GB of free cloud storage on Microsoft OneDrive, and the option to automatically back up photos to the cloud. Nokia Asha 230 comes as the most affordable Asha phone and is expected to cost from KES5000 in Kenya and at just EUR 45 across Asia-Pacific, Europe, India, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa.
Nokia 220
Alongside the latest Asha device, Nokia also unveiled what seems as its lowest-priced, data-enabled phone: the beautifully designed Nokia 220, which makes the mobile Internet accessible to more people around the world. With its 2.4” colour screen, dust- and splash-proof keypad, the Nokia 220 is a well-crafted choice for people experiencing mobility and the Internet for the first time, with Facebook and Twitter pre-loaded and Bing as the default search engine in the pre-loaded Nokia Xpress browser. Retail prices for the Nokia 220 start at EUR 29. It will be available for sale immediately in single and Dual SIM variants and rolling-out in Asia-Pacific, Europe, India, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa.