For many, the Nokia 105 was the surprise hit of Mobile World Congress 2013. It’s Nokia’s most affordable phone, extending the possibility of joining the mobile economy into the Next Billion and beyond.

Sascha Segan, writing for PC Mag on the first day of the show, said it “Looks much classier than you usually get at this price point, and I think it’s poised to be a huge global hit…. A well-built, inexpensive voice phone could find a home in every nation”.

Nokia 105 is now on sale in India, priced at Rs 1249.

While the low price of the Nokia 105 was enough on its own to catch most people’s attention, the other benefits of the phone mean that many smartphone owners have been thinking about picking one up as a secondary device.

A standby time of up to 35 days might be especially important if you have an intermittent electricity supply, but for others it makes for a fantastic holiday phone or emergency back-up.

Similarly, the integrated flashlight and the very light weight of the Nokia 105 (70g) make it an ideal choice for camping trips or the glove compartment of your car.

The Nokia 105 also has all the essentials covered with an FM Radio, pre-loaded games (including Snake, of course!), multiple alarm clocks and even a speaking clock.

Following the launch, our own Adam Fraser gave some thought to the phone and came up with ’10 reasons to buy a Nokia 105’.

Commenting on the sales launch, Mr. Viral Oza from Nokia India focused on the modernity of the design:

“The Nokia 105 marks the end of black & white screen era in the Indian handset market. The very human and fresh design of Nokia 105 makes it distinct in this price range, and utterly modern despite a traditional form factor.

“Our most affordable device – the Nokia 105, with some of the best category features, is the ideal handset for first time buyers to enjoy the benefits and experiences of mobility.”

Have you been considering a Nokia 105 as part of your mobile toolkit?