Business Daily (Nairobi)
Kui Kinyanjui
12 March 2008
Mobile phone users in emerging markets prefer to share phones prompting handset makers to develop special models for the low-end market, a recent survey has revealed.
The survey by the world's largest handset maker, Nokia, indicates that phone-sharing has particularly become rampant in markets like Kenya with the arrival of technology such as Bluetooth.
On Tuesday, Nokia launched a range of phones with added features that have been created in response to these consumer needs. The Nokia 2600 Classic comes with multiple phonebooks and Bluetooth to support phone- sharing. Nokia said the survey had found that 50 per cent of mobile phone users in emerging markets buy a phone to share with relatives.
The 2600 model is expected to help Nokia relaunch its onslaught on the first entry-level phone market that has recently come under attack from competitors. "Meeting such needs is part of our strategy for the market this year," said Ms Agatha Gikunda, Nokia product manager for East Africa. Besides, the survey found that digital cameras have become an important item in most families.
"We have high expectations for the Nokia 2600 based on the fact that there are no devices in this price range that offer such an array of features," said Ms Gikunda.
It will retail for about Sh6,000 and offers an expanded phonebook capacity for 1,000 entries, as well as enhanced connectivity through e-mail and GPRS. It also has MP3 ringtones, an FM radio and a VGA camera.
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