More and more, businesses are beginning to catch on that people are generally watching their wallets very, very closely these days. To that end, they're spending less on electronics and more closely considering the value proposition when they do. And businesses are taking that theme to heart.
Nokia is responding to that particular sea change by showing off four new cell phones, all with the budget buyer in mind.
Nokia's four new cellphones can basically be split into two camps: the budget-model lineup, represented by the Nokia 301 and the Nokia 105; and the downsized Lumia, represented by the Lumia 720 and the Lumia 520. But one point that particularly stood out is that the new lower-cost phones won't be necessarily marked by a major reduction in function to match, as the current reports suggest these budget models may be more potent than some might envision.
For instance, reports have emerged around the Lumia 720 – initially hitting shelves in Asian and European markets, with a wider release possible for later – and how it is geared toward social media users with eight gigabytes of onboard storage and an SD card slot, which will sell for about $331.
The Lumia 520 will be a Windows Phone device, at last report, offering a 5-megapixel autofocus camera along with a set of camera-specific extras, and 8 gigabytes of onboard memory, with support for SD cards going clear up to 64 gigabytes. So this looks like a phone for the shutterbug.
Reports suggest the product will sell for about $185, and will go first to Hong Kong and Vietnam before expanding outward.
The Nokia 301, meanwhile, is a 3G handset that can handle streaming video, and offers a 3.2-megapixel camera with wide-angle lens for the shooting of said video, and will sell for the equivalent of $86.
The Nokia 105 is designed to be a replacement for, and thus at last report at least somewhat similar to the previous entry-level device, the Nokia 1280. That's actually a big seller for Nokia, who has sold over 100 million 1280s over just the last two years.
The Nokia 105 will boast a set of pre-loaded games, and is set to retail at just $20.
Admittedly, none of these will be on par with the iPhone in terms of sheer overall function, but at these prices, the value proposition will be impressive. The prices are low enough that most anyone looking for a new phone may want to get in, and there are certainly some solid function sets listed.
Nokia is clearly out to push its market in a new and unexpected direction, and at last report, it's also planning to keep up its alliance with Microsoft, so more Windows Phone devices are also likely on tap as well.
But the clear thrust here was on bargain phones, and Nokia will have more than its share of those ready to go in the days to come. These devices won't be rolling out all at once, or even in the same places, but those who are in the market, not looking to spend a lot and are in the particular targeted area, may want to think "Nokia" when it comes to their next handset.
Edited by
Braden Becker 
QUICK LINKS 
