NEW DELHI, India – Polar opposite to the other two handsets we picked as Best of 2008 in Products (the E71 and 5800 XpressMusic), the Nokia 1202 shook things up and innovated without breaking the technology barrier, much like Nokia Life Tools in the Services stakes.
No, instead here is a handset that ignited a hugely positive global response because it was proof that a company could build and sell an extremely capable device tailored to the needs of local communities in emerging markets for a relatively tiny cost – at 25 Euros, the Nokia 1202 is the cheapest phone Nokia has ever created. But perhaps even more significant was the fact that it was made to be shared by up to five people, as it features multiple phone books and time and pre-paid tracker, so if bought by a group in a small community it becomes a 5 Euro phone.
Similarly, the Nokia 1202 illustrates how acutely Nokia is devoted to targeting the mobile needs of very specific users all over the planet – in this case people who need their phone battery to have incredible stamina, as charging it can often require taking the device to a local town with an electricity supply. With this in mind the 1202 was developed to be able to deliver standby time of up to 26 days and talk time of up to 9 hours.
This handset also warrants recognition in our Best of 2008 list, because it represents an approach and an ideal that Nokia is committed to echoing in other areas of its business, from its commitment to research and Jan Chipchase’s local human behavioral studies in relation to mobile technology, to the environment and recycling, and services such as Nokia Life Tools.
So here’s to the Nokia 1202.
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