Nokia unveils 3G-capable feature phones for quick internet access

PanARMENIAN.Net - Smartphones may comprise a majority of mobile-phone shipments worldwide, but a sizeable number of handset users still prefer basic feature phones.

Nokia catered to the latter market by debuting two 3G-capable feature phones — the 207 and 208 — that are specifically designed to provide users with quick Internet access, Mashable said.

Available in red, cyan, yellow, white and black, the handsets have Nokia's traditional "candybar" design. They offer Internet-connection sharing, and come pre-installed with Twitter, Facebook and WhatsApp.

"The Nokia 207 and Nokia 208 are designed for people who like a classic phone and traditional keypad, but don't want to miss out on smartphone experiences, like staying connecting to social media and accessing the Internet," Timo Toikkanen, executive vice-president of the Finnish company's Mobile Phones division, said in a release.

The main differences between the 207 and 208 is that the latter has a camera with smart features, and comes in dual SIM and single SIM versions. The 207 has no camera, and is single SIM. Each cost $68.

A February report by Nielsen revealed that mobile consumers in developed markets tend to prefer smartphones, while feature phones are more popular in places such as India, Turkey and Russia.