Dual-SIM Nokia 114 launched for Rs 2,549

Nokia India has launched the Nokia 114 dual SIM phone. Aimed at young and hyper-social consumers, the phone comes with the cloud-accelerated Nokia Xpress browser, which, according to Nokia, gives up to 85 percent more efficient mobile browsing.

Nokia 114 has direct access to Facebook and Twitter from the homescreen. It also features hot-swappable SIM card slots, allowing you to change the SIM cards without having to switch the device off. The phone is priced at Rs 2,549.

Commenting on the Nokia 114 launch, V. Ramnath, Director of Sales, Nokia India, said, “The new Nokia 114 offers a great, affordable browsing experience for hyper-social consumers who want instant Facebook and Twitter access, as well as to stay connected on-the-go. This unique device supports 24/7 connectivity through faster Internet access with the Nokia Xpress Browser, resulting in a superior Internet experience for these price points."

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The Nokia 114 has Easy Swap SIM slots

According to the press release, the battery life of Nokia 114 is quoted at over 10 hours of talk time and nearly a month’s standby time, meaning that consumers can stay entertained and in-touch all day long.

The device offers an optimised camera for social networking, with very low data consumption while uploading the content. It provides sharp and clear pictures, and support for up to 32GB of external memory – enough for more than 90,000 pictures or 6000 songs.

Consumers can also tune into their favourite radio stations and share their favourite content with friends over Bluetooth.

The Nokia 114 also comes pre-loaded with personal information management features such as a dictionary, digital clock, audio recorder, and calculator as well as several interesting games and applications through Nokia Store.

Nokia 114 is a dual SIM phone, featuring the benefits of Nokia’s Easy Swap technology. This allows users to switch between SIM cards quickly without having to remove the battery or turn off the phone. The Easy Swap technology can personalise and remember up to five different SIM cards, giving consumers full control over their mobile bills.

In related news, it was recently revealed that Nokia’s lower end Asha line-up sells twice as much as the company’s higher end Lumia series. While the Lumia series has been selling well, it would be well worth noting that Asha smartphones have hit 9.3 million units in the fourth quarter. This is more than double the number of units that the company has shipped of the Lumia series. This could be attributed to the popularity of low-end smartphones, as opposed to the considerably pricier higher end Lumia phones.

“Some countries, like China, appear to be “game, set, match” for Android, while others like Indonesia are heavily BlackBerry,” Raymond James analyst Tavis McCourt told AllThingsD. “Asha is interesting for Nokia because in many of these markets Nokia’s brand is very strong and Symbian devices used to sell very well. India, Eastern Europe, Africa and Latin America are examples of of regions and countries where Nokia likely has a strong opportunity with Asha, but even in these markets android phones are growing rapidly as well.”

Nokia may be relying on the Asha series to sustain itself while it still tries to push its higher end Lumia. Even now, the popularity of the Asha series can be seen by simply going into a Mumbai train and scanning the devices in the commuters’ hands.

“The growth in Asha from Q3 to Q4 was impressive, but Nokia has had a history of heavy shipment volume in emerging markets in fourth quarters followed by weak first quarters. So it’s probably a bit early to declare victory for Nokia against low end Android competitors in emerging markets,” said McCourt.