Nokia nurses Asha, fights back with cheap touchscreen phones

Struggling mobile phone maker Nokia Oyj has unveiled its first full touchscreen phones aimed at the budget end of the market, as it looks to fill a gap in its product range and catch up with rivals, particularly in emerging markets. New models aimed at regaining shares

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Struggling mobile phone maker Nokia Oyj has unveiled its first full touchscreen phones aimed at the budget end of the market, as it looks to fill a gap in its product range and catch up with rivals, particularly in emerging markets.

While fighting back with a new range of smartphones that uses Microsoft software, the group is also eager to tap the booming market for basic phones with full touchscreens.

Analysts at Strategy Analytics estimate that 105 million such handsets were sold globally last year, with demand particularly strong in emerging markets.

"Nokia urgently needed these products for emerging markets where rival Samsung has had full-touch, low cost devices like the Star since June 2009," Ben Wood, head of research at CCS Insight, said. "Now Nokia needs to quickly make up lost ground with these new products."

Nokia said on Wednesday its Asha 305 model would go on sale this month for €63 ($79), excluding subsidies and taxes. The Asha 306 and Asha 311 models will go on sale next quarter for €68 and €92 respectively.

Shares in Nokia, which have lost over half of their value over the past year, were 4.7% higher at €2.24 by 0823 GMT.