Mobile phones like the Nokia 105, Nokia 106 and Nokia 107 are the perfect first devices for millions of people around the world. We’ve been talking to Neil Broadley from Nokia Mobile Phones product marketing, to find out what makes this end of the market so important to Nokia, how it makes phones that stand out from the crowd, and why it will continue to produce some of the most affordable handsets around.
“The entry point of the Nokia brand is at the heart of our ‘Next Billion’ strategy and home to our most affordable handsets,” Neil tells us. “We are focused on bringing the best and most engaging experiences possible in areas like imaging, entertainment and the Internet to this family of mobile phones.”
“There are a couple of reasons why these phones are so important. The biggest reason is that for many people this is the first Nokia product they have owned. We want people to have a fantastic ownership experience that they want to tell their friends about. It also means that when it’s time to upgrade, they come back and purchase another Nokia.”
“Secondly,” Neil adds, “and this is growing in importance, many people who buy mobile phones like the Nokia 105 are actually purchasing a second handset. They already own a smartphone and are looking for a companion device that they take with them when they don’t want to take their smartphone. This really hit home for me after we launched the Nokia 105 at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona back in February.”
“Back home, UK media hailed it as the perfect ‘festival phone’, with fantastic battery life that would keep you connected long after a typical smartphone would need recharging. This is important at a summer music festival in England where you can be camping in a field, miles from the nearest electricity, for days on end.”
The success of the Nokia 105 and its siblings in the portfolio can make all the difference to Nokia. Neil explains, “We are addressing a large and extremely important part of the market. To give you an idea, one of our most successful recent products in this category was the Nokia 1280, which went on to sell over 100,000,000 units. It’s also an amazing opportunity to make a positive impact on people’s lives.”
Making affordable handsets that stand out
There’s also a reason that people opt for affordable Nokias like the 105, irrespective of where they are in the world, and Neil believes that quality plays a big part. “Obviously, having a competitive price and popular features is important, but a key reason that people buy a Nokia is because of the trust they have in our product quality.”
“All Nokia mobile phones undergo a rigorous testing regime to ensure they really stand up to the tests of everyday life. We drop them hundreds of times onto concrete surfaces, deluge them in a simulated rainstorm, leave them in really humid places and even subject them to the ‘jeans pocket’ test. We have a video on You Tube that shows real footage from inside the Nokia testing labs – take a look.”
When that quality is combined with meaningful features and a super-affordable price point, it results in a compelling product. Neil adds: “What’s really exciting is that the pace of renewal we see in the smartphone part of the market is mirrored here with our entry-level family. People trust Nokia to deliver and we take that responsibility very seriously.”
“One of the biggest changes to entry-level products is that everything we now make has a beautiful colour screen. There are plenty of other Nokia ‘firsts’ such as our Easy Swap dual SIM technology, integrated flashlights or seriously loud speakers that can cut through the noisiest environments. Another big evolution is in the design. At Nokia, we have a consistent design approach and attention to detail all the way from the Nokia 105 to our stunning Nokia Lumia 1020.”
This approach can be clearly seen in Nokia’s latest two mobile phones – the Nokia 106 and Nokia 107 Dual SIM, and Neil adds: “These are beautifully designed mobile phones that deliver a fantastic user experience with amazing battery life. The standby time on the Nokia 106 is well over a month.”
“The Nokia 107 Dual SIM also features an MP3 player and memory card support for up to 16GB, enough for thousands of songs. With over a day of music playback time, bundled headset and loudspeaker, it’s like a little jukebox in your pocket. You can check out the videos for these products on YouTube: Nokia 106, Nokia 107. Of course if you already have a smartphone, both the Nokia 106 and Nokia 107 will make an ideal back-up phone.”
“Together with the Nokia 105, the Nokia 106 and 107 mean that we are well on our way to completely renewing our entry-level products in just over six months. We haven’t finished yet though,” Neil concludes, “so watch this space!”
That’s right: check back on Monday to be the first to know what’s next…