Struggling cellphone maker Nokia unveiled on Tuesday the Nokia Asha 308 and Asha 309 touch-screen cellphone models to strengthen its offering for the mass market.
These new handsets are packed with Internet connectivity, apps, maps, a 'swipe' user interface, social networking, games and an open environment for third-party app development.
Both feature 3-inch (400 x240), scratch-resistant touchscreens, a 2-megapixel camera, built-in speakers and run on the Asha Touch operating system. Nokia's new Xpress Browser uses cloud compression technology to make surfing the web faster whilst consuming less data.
Just like the other Asha Touch phones, each new device comes with 40 free EA games for users to download and keep forever. The titles include Tetris, FIFA 2012, and The Need for Speed The Run.
The Asha 308 and Asha 309 (which supports WiFi positioning) have also Nokia Maps 2.0 preloaded on the phone. Available in black or golden light, the Nokia Asha 308 has an Easy Swap Dual SIM so you can change SIM cards without turning off the phone.
The Nokia Asha 309 is a single-SIM, WiFi-enabled device. It also comes with an Internet radio app and white or black colors.
Nokia expects the Nokia Asha 308 and the Nokia Asha 309 to retail for about $99, excluding taxes and subsidies, with deliveries to start in the fourth quarter of 2012.