Nokia unveils Asha

Devin Jayasundera Reporting from Dhaka, Bangladesh
Nokia, the world’s largest cell phone maker and the number one mobile phone in South Asia, launched the new Asha series to expand its customer base in the region.

The Nokia Asha is a hybrid of the feature phone and the smart phone. The Asha series comprises of four handsets namely Asha 303, Asha 300 Asha 200 and Asha 201.
As owning a smart phone is costly, Nokia hopes through the Asha series consumers would have the opportunity to have a closer smart phone experience.
The main feature of the Asha is the faster and efficient internet browsing facilities it offers. The Asha series is primarily aimed at providing a faster internet and a social networking experience to its users.
Another significant feature of the Asha series is the Nokia online store. Through this store Nokia provides apps not only to smart phones but also a wide range of apps to internet enabled phones which includes the Asha range.
This enables Asha phone users to have an efficient and a unique mobile experience in contrast to other internet enabled phones.
“Derived from Hindi – meaning ‘hope’ – Asha signifies Nokia’s focus on positive user experiences and connecting millions of people to new opportunities that help them reach their aspirations” says Nokia Bangladesh and Emerging Asia Country Manager Abu Daud Khan.
In regard to Nokia’s vision in providing a platform for consumers to experience the internet effectively Khan professed that “Nokia’s goal is to connect the next billion. Our overall objective is to get web connected phones into the hands of another billion people, who so far have gone without. And mobile application can enable them to access more information that will add value to their lives.”
Kahn reiterated that mobile apps need to be localised to popularise internet enabled phones among the South Asian users. He pointed out that in Bangladesh the people now have the opportunity to check their exam results, weather forecast and local stock market indicators through localised apps.
By introducing phones that blur the line between smart phones and feature phones Nokia hopes to deliver high quality, stylish devices that provide the best access to social networks, the Internet and information.
The Nokia Asha 200 is Nokia’s latest dual SIM phone with Easy Swap functionality, allowing consumers to easily change their second SIM without switching the device off. The QWERTY designed phone features integrated social networking, email and IM, Orkut and Flickr support.
The Nokia Asha 303 comes with a 2.6” capacitive touch screen and a high quality QWERTY keypad. It also boasts a 1 GHz engine, 3G and WLAN to deliver a fast Internet experience.
The beautifully designed Nokia Asha 300 is a touch device which includes a 1 GHz processor and 3G. It is also preloaded with the popular Angry Birds game.