Nokia Launches Its Most Affordable 3G Phone

Keeping its thumb on the pulse of developing markets, Nokia has unveiled three new Internet-ready handsets, including its most affordable 3G phone.

Finland’s Nokia might be hurting under the economic downturn just like everyone else, but it’s still the world’s largest maker of mobile handsets, based largely on the enormous numbers of phones it has been able to sell into developing markets around the globe. And Nokia looks to be keeping the pressure on its competitors, today announcing three new handsets aimed specifically at emerging and developing markets…and they’re all Internet-ready and capable of tapping into Nokia’s growing stable of online and mobile services.

“The power of the internet is undeniable,” says Nokia VP Alex Lambeek, in a statement. “We’ve seen mobile technologies catalyze the growth of the informal sector across the world, empowering local entrepreneurs, and having an immediate and lasting impact on people’s lives. Services like Nokia Life Tools and Ovi Mail, combined with the mobile phones we’re launching today, bring powerful solutions that can be the gateway to knowledge, entertainment and people, without the need for a PC.”

The Nokia 2730 Classic will be Nokia’s most affordable 3G-capable phone to date, sporting a streamlined candybar design and a price near €80. The Nokia 2720 Fold lacks 3G capability and will be cheaper still at around €55, but will offering calendar, email, file sharing, and Internet capability via Nokia Life Tools and Ovi Mail—plus it’ll sport a slick mirror finish. Finally, the Nokia 7020 brings adds a two megapixel camera, social networking capability, and will be available in bright pink in addition to a more staid black; it should cost around €90.

The 2730 and 2730 Fold should be available in the third quarter of 2009; the 7020 will land in selected markets in the fourth quarter of 2009.