By Tom Noda
With the launch of its first Android phone model in the Philippines, comebacking Finnish phonemaker Nokia is betting that its neon-colored handsets would stand out from the sea of “black and boring” Android devices.
Available in bold and bright colors of green, red, and black and white, the four-inch Nokia X is expected to rise over other Android smartphones in the market, said Gary Chan, Nokia head of marketing for Pan Asia.
“Nokia X will differentiate itself from the sea of boring black Android devices out there,” Chan said, during the product’s media launch in Makati City on Tuesday, March 11.
Priced at P5,990, the Nokia X is currently available in selected retail stores in Metro Manila and is scheduled to be sold in key provincial areas in the next few days.
Aside from attracting consumers with the phone’s physical features, Nokia is also seeking score a three-punch combination against its competitors by bundling Nokia X with services from Microsoft, apps from Android, and its own Nokia signature experiences such as the free Here Maps and Nokia MixRadio.
The dual SIM smartphone is also said to be an affordable introduction to popular Microsoft services, including free cloud storage using OneDrive.
Chan said users can access more than 50,000 curated apps from Nokia Store and from third-party app stores. The Nokia X is also preloaded with a variety of popular third-party apps and games.
“We believe this unique combination will resonate with consumers around the world and set a great precedent for the level of quality that can be achieved in the fast-growing, affordable smartphone segment,” Chan said.
According to Nokia Philippines general manager Karel Holub, Nokia X has two screen features: the home which has a fresh tile-based design and the Fastlane, a screen that allows users to easily switch between their favorite apps.
“We are happy to be one of the first countries to launch the much anticipated Nokia X,” Holub said. “It will be a great device for Filipinos with Fastlane, signature Nokia experiences, and a number of third-party apps, in addition to a sturdy and attractive build at an affordable price.”
Sporting a 10.44mm thin durable monobody design, the phone model runs on the Nokia X Software Platform and is powered by a 1Ghz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor.
Other specifications of Nokia X include a 3MP camera, 1500 mAH battery, a 512MB RAM, an expandable memory of up to 32GB, Satellite GPS, and Accelerometer.
