Nokia X1 : The next billion phone!

Nokia is on a roll. It was the Microsoft partnership the other day, integrated billing for its music store through Reliance yesterday and the next billion phone today. Nokia X1-00 is a phone aimed for the next billion. A super-inexpensive phone which costs 34 Euros which Rs. 2100. Nokia X1-00 has a capacity to read 16 GB memory card, FM radio is on-board and guess what a torch light on there too. Need I say more that Nokia has got its basic right for this phone. This reminds me of Nokia 1100 which is the world’s most popular phone. Nokia X1 has all the makings of a Nokia 1100.

This is a music lover’s phone. You probably guessed that anyway from the massive speaker on the back, rated at 106phon (a phon is a measure of perceived loudness – 106 of them is enough to rattle your window frames, apparently). The frequency response has been tweaked somewhat, though, so that the sound remains undistorted at higher volumes, unlike most mobile phones.

There isn’t much to talk about but, this more than enough for someone looking for a basic phone. Oh and before I forget, there is a facility to hold 5 phone books. Quite a few people have tried to solve the sharing problem on a mobile phone. Someone had thought to have 10 virtual numbers locked by a password on a single SIM. There is a cloud phone which is a shared phone which works just like email. Holding five phone books could be yet another attempt to solve the same problem. We have to see if this would actually encourage sharing and improve the sales.

When any one mentions a billion, two countries immediately come to mind – India and China. India already has 900 million mobile subscriptions. There would be hardly anyone left without a phone. Right? Wrong. The tele-density is still at 60% and a good percentage of the 900 million are inactive. So, Nokia still has a good market out there. Not just Nokia but everybody who are in this segment have a good shot.

With Nokia X1-00 Nokia is carrying the right ammunition to counter the upstart insurgency in emerging markets.

Source : Nokia Blog