Will Nokia Asha 501 fail to woo customers?

News | by Muntazir Abbas

NEW DELHI, INDIA: Touted as a stunning device with Asha platform, extended battery life and seamless Web 2.0 experience, the $99 ( Rs 5,350) Nokia Asha 501 feature phone has seemingly fallen short of expectations.

It is believed to be squarely aimed at third-world countries such as Indonesia, India and Brazil.

As Nokia unveils the new device with much fanfare, CNET believes that it wouldn't appeal to consumers who are accustomed to a more refined smartphone experience.

Tuvuti, in its review, however, feels that app store isn't as big as that of Android. Browsing Web and downloading apps on Asha 501 requires patience, it quipped.

Ironically, Nokia Asha 501 does not run on 3G networks that would lead consumers to breathlessly wait to get their tweets or view even Facebook snaps.

With an eye on growing data consumption in emerging economies, the Finnish firm has designed Asha 501 with varied features for Internet savvy-users. Fastlane allows a look into recently used apps, while corner box displays kilobytes of download. But, all these have 2G speed constraint.

The Nokia Asha platform, though, is not scary, but not smooth either. Average consumers, are yet to get accustomed with it, while Android-based mobility devices are readily available in the market and that, too, well below $99.

With 320x240-pixel resolution (low density) and LCD display, the newly-launched Asha 501 may not conform to high-quality video content standards. The device also was found lacking in multi-tasking capabilities, which are being offered by many of its competitors.

Business&Market founder-analyst, Deepak Kumar, believes that Nokia Asha 501 is clearly targeted at the budget youth buyers, who would be happy to have access to popular apps and the Internet. "The device lacks 3G support, but then that also helps achieve the longer battery life," added Kumar.

Nokia India did not respond to CIOL queries, despite reminders. The company has also declined to share the number of Asha 501 units it pre-booked during the first week, after launch