The Nokia 103 is the Finns’ cheapest-ever phone
Nokia's latest phone for emerging markets costs just €16. Who needs top-ups when you can just buy a new phone?
Nokia may be busy launching its top-of-the-line Lumia 900 and NFC-equipped Lumia 610 NFC, but it’s also beavering away on phones for the so-called “next billion” – people living in emerging markets who need an affordable mobile, like the new Nokia 103. And when we say “affordable,” we mean it – the Nokia 103 costs just €16.
Unsurprisingly, you don’t get much bang for your buck – the Nokia 103 features a 96px x 68px black-and-white screen, plus a dust-proof chassis, FM radio, an integrated flashlight and 11 hours of talk time.
The Nokia 103 is set to launch in Nigeria this summer, with other developing countries to follow suit. But we can see plenty of uses for super-cheap mobiles in established markets – as a backup phone, like the PowerSkin SpareOne, for example – or even as a one-use device in case you find yourself stranded without a mobile (especially since mobiles have done away with all the phone boxes).
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