LONDON, United Kingdom – The Nokia Lumia 800 stands out in a crowd of smartphones thanks to its unique shape and ultra-fast processor but it is also squaring up to competitors on price as it launches in Europe this week.

In Italy, you can get it free for as little as 20 Euros a month with 400 minutes, 100 texts and 2GB of data a month on a 30-month contract.

In the UK it’s £26 a month on a similar contract. And for an extra £10 a month you can get a free Xbox worth £150 delivered to you by Christmas.

Other big retailers are giving away gift vouchers and some of the independent high street stores are offering their customers flat-screen TVs and cash-back deals.

When you take into account that you are also getting free apps like Nokia Drive, a turn by turn voice-guided navigation system, Nokia Maps, the best in class location software and Nokia Music with its amazing free Mix Radio service, this phone is incredible value.

And when word gets around about the unique connected experience delivered by Windows Phone’s 7.5 Mango software, the Nokia Lumia 800 will be irresistible to millions.

Nokia’s Head of Retail, UK, James Kitto  said: “The Nokia Lumia 800 offers fantastic consumer value with voice-guided navigation included, courtesy of Nokia’s Drive application, a free music streaming service “Mix Radio” courtesy of the pre-installed Nokia Music app.

“There are a large range of tariffs available for consumers to choose from in the UK with the Nokia Lumia 800 competitively priced to attract as wide a market as possible – those new to smartphones as well as those looking for a fresh smartphone experience.  

“The Nokia Lumia 800 is the first real Windows Phone and we are confident that consumers will love its breath-taking design and fresh and intuitive user interface. This phone delivers an integrated social networking experience unrivalled by any other smartphone or OS.”

image credits: Casa_No_7 and GG Photography