Reference Auto

Despite domestic players inundating the market with feature-rich low-cost phones, Nokia is bullish on the premium segment in the price-sensitive Indian market, and in the latest launch, it has come out with the N8 smartphone priced at a steep Rs 26,259.

Besides, Ovi services, which will allow Nokia customers to download unlimited number of songs, the Nokia N8 is propelled by the Symbian 3 software, has an astounding 12 mp camera and 3.5 inches AMOLED display in an aluminium body.

It has USB support, making file transferring tasks easier, FM transmitter (normally, phones come with FM receivers) and can record high quality video and edit them.

Nokia N8 facilitates creation of myriad content, can connect to social networking sites and provides on-demand Web TV programmes and content. There are thousands of applications in the latest version of the Ovi Store that are optimised for the Nokia N8.

Speaking about the new handset, Viral Oza, head (activation, media and online sales and marketing), Nokia India, said, “Nokia N8 is a personal entertainment device designed for both a style leader and technology leader. People who buy the Nokia N8, besides getting a portable entertainment centre, will have more than 250 new experiences and features from a faster and more responsive user interactive to visual multi-tasking.”

He added that the smartphone is one of the seven models among Nokia’s N and E series, which form 22 per cent of Nokia’s total range of 33 models.

“Developers can seamlessly create custom applications and services using Symbian 3, with the Qt framework, and offer them to the 175 million Symbian devices, the world’s largest mobile user base,” Oza added. For now, Nokia will import the N8.

The smartphones market in India is pegged at 22 lakh and 30 crore globally. The figure for India is expected to double next year.

But with domestic players like Micromax, Spice, Karbon and Lava seeing near exponential growth to 33% in market share during the last six months from only 0.9 per cent last year, Nokia may have to hardsell the N8 to retain its leadership position in the Indian market.