New Delhi, Feb 12: Mobile phone maker Nokia expanded its line of low-end smartphones, the Asha series, with the Asha 310, which comes with dual-SIM and wi-fi access. The powerful combination of Dual SIM plus Wi-Fi in the same device, a first for Nokia smartphones, gives consumers the best of both worlds by offering the flexibility to enjoy more mobile experiences while managing their costs.
The phone will be available in Asia, India, the Middle East, Africa and Brazil starting Q1 2013, and will cost around $102, exclusive of local taxes or any operator subsidies.
The Asha 310 is a full-touch device comes with a scratch-proof display. It has a 2-megapixel camera, a microSD card slot for extra storage, and offers the options of choose from 2GB or 4GB cards. The phone supports microSD cards of up to 32 GB capacity.
The Asha 310 does not have a 3G radio and supports Internet connectivity through GPRS/Edge. The phone comes with preloaded email, Facebook, Twitter and eBuddy apps, in addition to Nokia Maps, which works online and offline. Nokia's also offering 40 free games from EA.
The Nokia Asha 310 offers the ability to shift between SIM cards for personal or work use without turning off the phone. They can also swap SIM cards while on-the-go, to get the best available tariffs when commuting. Nokia Easy Swap Dual SIM makes it possible to assign and store unique profiles for up to five SIM cards. Users can designate SIM cards for text, voice and data and switch between them at their convenience.
The smartphone comes pre-loaded with Nokia Xpress Browser, which delivers a fast and fluid browsing experience and support for thousands of web apps. Nokia Xpress Browser compresses Internet data by up to 90 per cent, saving consumers money.
"Nokia's Asha range now comprises 15 models which succeed in bringing smartphone features like Wi-Fi, video streaming, social, fast mobile browsing, apps and games at competitive price points," said Neil Shah, senior analyst, Strategy Analytics.
"The Nokia Asha 310 is the first-ever Nokia smartphone to offer both Easy Swap Dual SIM and Wi-Fi in the same device. It gives consumers the best of both worlds, allowing them to separate work and play, or speak with friends on other mobile networks more affordably," said Timo Toikkanen, executive vice president, Mobile Phones, Nokia. "The addition of Wi-Fi support gives users the freedom to enjoy much more of the Internet compared to competitive devices at this price point."
The phone is available in Black, White and Golden Light colors. It costs $102 (Rs 5,550) without taxes.
