Nokia has launched the affordable Nokia Asha 210 handset that features a full QWERTY keyboard and the world’s first dedicated WhatsApp button.
The handset offers Wi-Fi connectivity, a 2-megapixel rear camera and a 2.4-inch QVGA display, alongside a full QWERTY keyboard.
“The Nokia Asha 210 really stands out giving super-social consumers new ways to express their personalities through design, colour and innovations like the world’s first WhatsApp button,” said Timo Toikkanen, Nokia’s Executive Vice President of Mobile Phones. “It has been designed to allow people to easily update their social networks, stay in touch with friends and share user created content.”
“We are focused on delivering the best WhatsApp experience to as many people as possible,” said Brian Acton, WhatsApp co-founder. “We are very excited about our partnership with Nokia Asha complementing our strategy of giving people around the world an easy experience when keeping in touch with their friends.”
Nokia Asha 210 Features
The Nokia Asha 210 features a 2.4-inch QVGA screen with a resolution of 320 x 240p, but its main appeal is the full QWERTY keyboard beneath that Nokia is claiming is far better for social media messaging than touch screens.
Complete with a dedicated WhatsApp button, the first to ever feature on a smartphone, Nokia Asha 210 users can quickly get access to the cross-platform instant messaging service. WhatsApp is offering its service for free for anyone using the handset, which is an additional bonus for the budget handset.
Running the Nokia Series 40 Asha OS, the Nokia Asha 210 lacks a front-facing camera but has a low res 2-megapixel snapper in the rear. It has a microSD slot that supports memory cards of up to 32GB and has Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity.
Few details have been given about the budget handset’s hardware, with Nokia preferring to focus on the Nokia Asha 210’s social networking capabilities.
Nokia Asha 210 Release Date and Price
Expected to retail for around $72 (£47), a Nokia Asha 210 release date currently lies in the second quarter of this year. The QWERTY handset will be available for yellow, cyan, magenta, black and white.
