Nokia unveils two new touch phones, Asha 308 and Asha 309

Nokia  Asha 308, Nokia Asha 309

Nokia has unveiled the Asha 308 and Asha 309, the latest additions to the Asha Touch family of mobile devices.

The Asha 308 is a dual-SIM phone where as the Asha 309 is a single-SIM phone. To enhance the browsing experience on these devices, Nokia has released a new version of Nokia Xpress Browser, which Nokia claims enables up to 90 percent more efficient mobile browsing and faster access to web applications compared to conventional browsers.

Both the Asha 308 and the Asha 309 offer a fluid 'swipe' user interface and an open environment for third-party application development. We have seen the fluid ‘swipe’ interface before when Nokia unveiled the Asha 305 and the Asha 311.

"Our innovative Asha Touch family of devices is designed for people who want a great smartphone experience with lower running costs," says Timo Toikkanen, executive vice president, Mobile Phones, Nokia. "By introducing the Nokia Asha 308 and Nokia Asha 309, we're expanding our affordable smartphone lineup and bringing new mobile experiences to more people."

Nokia estimates the retail price for the Nokia Asha 308 and Nokia Asha 309 to be about $99 (Rs. 5,300 approx.), excluding taxes and subsidies, with shipping expected to start in the fourth quarter of 2012.  Nokia claims that the Asha 308 and Asha 309 are the company's most affordable capacitive touchscreen devices to date.

Nokia Asha 309

The Asha 308 and Asha 309 are 2G-enabled devices, each featuring a 3.0-inch WQVGA capacitive display, multiple home screens, Wi-Fi, stereo radio, loud speakers and up to 32GB microSD card support. The Nokia Asha 308 is a features Nokia's Easy Swap technology, meaning one SIM card is hot swappable and you don't need to switch off the device to change the SIM card.

 

       Nokia Asha 308

The phones also come with the free gift of 40 premium EA games, social features such as standalone Facebook and Twitter clients, Nokia Messaging Service, and video streaming through the browser from sites like YouTube. We have seen the 40 free EA games bundle when the Asha 305 and the Asha 311 were launched in India.

Nokia has also introduced Nokia Life+. The Nokia Life+ web app will give users access to content that spans education, health and infotainment. Nokia Life+ is available in English across 18 countries, with local versions coming to India, China and Indonesia in the fourth quarter of this year. Nokia Life+ can be accessed through Nokia Xpress Browser or the Nokia Store on the Asha touch phones.