Microsoft Devices Group has unveiled an update to the Nokia X low-cost smartphone, entitled the Nokia X2.
It first major announcement from the handset unit since Microsoft acquired it from Nokia. The device runs on a variant of Android, offering “a world of Android apps and popular Microsoft services”. These include Outlook.com, Skype and OneDrive, as well as the Bing Search app, OneNote and Yammer.
The launch also encompasses an update to the Nokia X platform, with “major enhancements to the user interface” promised. The OS is based on the open-source version of Android 4.3, eschewing the integrated support for Google apps.
The X2 has a 4.3-inch screen with a 5 megapixel camera, and is powered by a 1.2GHz dualcore Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 processor. It launches in a dual-SIM version, indicating that Microsoft is pitching the affordable (€99) device to emerging markets.
“The release of a replacement device so soon [6 months after the X] tacitly admits that their first attempt at an Android based, emerging markets handset was a little wide off the mark and didn’t offer consumers the user experience they most likely expected from such a well-known brand”, says Vasileios Tziokas, Marketing Manager at Upstream. “The release of the X2 shows that Nokia is committed to emerging markets; that they are listening to consumers and are willing to put some weight behind their approach to the market.”
The vendor has stated that the X2 offers “a compelling choice for a new generation of smartphone buyers”. Tziokas adds that the company’s focus on India is note-worthy; Nokia has the third best-selling mobile in India and the country is likely to be a launch market for the X2. “Now that Nokia has a compelling product, teaming up with a local operator to provide unique and engaging content can only help their push into emerging markets”, he notes.
