Nokia launches new C-series phones

Nokia's new C-series smartphones: Nokia C5 (with pictures by Tencent Technology)

Tencent Technology News (compilation / Chao Hui) March 2, Beijing time, according to foreign media reports, Nokia announced the C5 smartphone on local time on Tuesday, hoping to benefit from the strong demand for cheap smartphones and consumers like the trend of mobile social networks.

C5 will be one of Nokia's cheapest smartphones, priced at 135 euros (about 183 US dollars) without taxes and subsidies, and will be released in the second quarter of this year.

John Strand, head of Danish market research company Strand Consult, said, "A product like C5 will help Nokia increase its smartphone market share and increase its average selling price."

As manufacturers provide features that were originally found in high-end models in cheap models, smartphone shipments will increase substantially this year, and some analysts expect the increase to reach 50%. Nokia continues to lead the global smartphone market with a market share of approximately 40%, but its market share is eroded by Apple ’s iPhone and RIM BlackBerry.

Nokia is improving its smartphone product line on a large scale. It has been said that almost all smartphones launched this year will be equipped with a touch screen, a full keyboard, or a touch screen and a full keyboard. Last year, less than half of these models.

Including the C series, Nokia has four major smartphone product lines, the E series is for corporate users, the X series is for young users and music fans, the N series is a high-end smartphone, and the C series is focused on personal social networks.