Nokia launch £120 smartphone

MOBILE phone giants Nokia yesterday made a move for emerging markets with the launch of a £120 smartphone.

The Finnish company announced the Lumia 520 alongside three other devices, including a £13 mobile phone, at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain.

The smartphone, which operates with Windows 8, could be perfect for colder countries with its super-sensitive touch-screen technology, meaning it can be used while wearing gloves.

But with experts predicting a big year for cheap smartphones as developers try to make inroads into the developing world, the Lumia 520 could be seen in India or Africa more than Scandinavia.

The phone also comes with a five-megapixel camera and access to the music streaming service Nokia Music. Alongside this, Nokia launched the 105 – a £13 standard mobile phone that is now the company’s cheapest.

It comes complete with an FM radio and a torch, with Nokia explaining that it could be perfect for those living in areas where reliable electricity is in short supply.

The phones were launched alongside the Lumia 720, which Nokia are pitching at “socialites”.

Nokia CEO Stephen Elop told a press conference: “Today we’re introducing the world’s most innovative portfolio of products.”