Nokia launches five new handsets

Finland's Nokia, the world's largest cellphone maker, on Monday unveiled five new mobile handsets, including a 3G camera phone and two CDMA phones, that should hit retail shelves this year.

The mobile phone manufacturer yesterday in its annual event, Nokia Connection held in Singapore, said the 3G phone, the model 6151, comes with a 1.3 megapixel camera and is expected to retail in the July-September quarter for 240 euros ($ 303), except subsidies and taxes, making it Nokia's cheapest 3G model phone.

The CDMA phones- Nokia 6275 and Nokia 2875 comprise 2-mega-pixel and 1.3-mega-pixel cameras respectively and should reach stores in the fourth quarter. The entry-level 1110i model is placed to retail for 45 euros, excluding taxes and subsidies, starting from the third quarter, while the mid-range 6080 camera phone is set to sell for 180 euros from the fourth quarter of current year.

Including the recently unveiled phones, which are all candy bar-shaped, Nokia has also launched 23 new models this year. In the last few years, it has brought forth approximately 40 new phones per year.

Nokia disclosed the new models at its annual event held in Singapore for operators, business partners and industry analysts to showcase new products and services.

Meanwhile, the Finnish company yesterday also announced that its managed services will be led globally from India, scheduled for July. "The move underscores Nokia's commitment to tap global services market growth, as well as India's outstanding outsourcing ecosystem and innovation pedigree," as per a statement issued by the mobile making company at its annual Nokia Connection event.

During the event, the Nokia exposed a managed service contract extension with India's Hutchison Essar-the Indian wireless operation of Hong Kong's Hutchison Telecommunications, saying that it aims to help operators thrive by lowering their costs.

It will assume possession of over 200 staff and operations in 10 new areas. This means Nokia will supply equipment and manage the networks for 19 of 23 areas for Hutchison Essar. Nokia has 39 managed services contracts in 30 countries, so far.

An on-device portal solution entitled as Nokia Content Discoverer was also launched universally at the event. Entrenched in eight Nokia handset models including the N series, the solution is "the core technology platform for enhanced discovery and download of high- quality global and localized mobile content and applications," another statement said.

Services portrayed over 30% of Nokia Networks' 2005 revenues of 6.6 billion euros, and the firm anticipates revenue from services to grow to 40% this year.

Nokia's first quarter (January to March) earnings and sales were well above all expectations, prompted by strong growth in the phone market. However, the Finnish firm, which sells over one in three of all mobiles, increased its market share, but rival Motorola reported even faster sales growth, boosted by the ultra-thin clamshell RAZR model.

In the first quarter, Nokia had a universal market share of 32.8%, compared with second-ranked Motorola with 20.1%, according to data from research outfit Strategy Analytics.