Nokia has announced two new models, the Nokia 2600 Classic and the Nokia 1209. These two entry-level models are targeted at emerging markets.

The Nokia 2600 Classic supports MP3 ringtones and can be customized to user's whims with Nokia's vivid, fully changeable Xpress-On covers. It supports up to a 1000 phone book entries with support for SMS, MMS, and email via GPRS. It sports a 56K color TFT with a resolution of 128x160 pixels and a 5-way navigation key for extended durability. Other remarkable features are Java support, FM radio, a VGA camera which can record video at 640x480 pixels, support for 80 languages, and an expense manager. The Nokia 2600 Classic is already available at approximately $94.

The Nokia 1209 on the other hand is aimed at first-time cell phone buyers with features such as prepaid tracker, cost management applications, and multiple phones, allowing up to five users to use the same cell phone with up to 200 entries per phone book. This is in response to a recent survey conducted by the Finnish manufacturer in countries such as India, China, and Brazil. The Nokia 1209 will be available during the second quarter of 2008 at a low price of around $50.
More information after the break...

Speaking on the Nokia 2600 Classic, Alex Lambeek, Vice President of Entry Devices at Nokia, said, "While cost sensitivity is an important element in creating mobile devices for emerging markets, the overwhelming feedback we receive from consumers in these markets is that they want their mobile device to complement their personality and offer a range of colors and entertainment features. The Nokia 2600 Classic offers a colorful sense of flair and a robust set of features at an exceptionally accessible price. As with all Nokia devices, it is backed by a brand that stands for quality and durability."

"Phone sharing is a logical trend - more and more families are purchasing a mobile phone for the entire family to use, not just the head of the household. In addition, digital cameras are quickly becoming more popular in these markets, and as such taking and sharing digital images is becoming more common," adds Lambeek. "In response, Nokia has developed a number of innovative features like the multiple phonebook to support phone sharing, and we have added technologies like Bluetooth to some models to make transferring images and ringtones easy and affordable."