Thailand, Cambodia clash on new front as tens of thousands flee    Macron's plan to recognize Palestinian state, divides Western allies    Shell invests in Mina West gas development in Egyptian Mediterranean Sea    Egypt's FM delivers Al-Sisi message to Niger's leader, seeks deeper security ties    Rafah Crossing 'never been closed for one day' from Egypt: PM    Egypt will keep pushing for Gaza peace, aid: PM    Remittances from Egyptians abroad surge 70% YoY in July–May: CBE    Sudan's ambassador to Egypt holds reconstruction talks on with Arab League    Egypt's current account gap narrows, but overall BoP records deficit    Al-Sisi urges accelerated oil, gas discoveries, lower import bill    Egypt hosts international neurosurgery conference to drive medical innovation    Egypt's EDA discusses Johnson & Johnson's plans to expand investment in local pharmaceutical sector    I won't trade my identity to please market: Douzi    Sisi calls for boosting oil & gas investment to ease import burden    EGX to close Thursday for July 23 Revolution holiday    Egypt, Senegal sign pharma MoU to unify regulatory standards    Egyptian Drug Authority discusses plans for joint pharmaceutical plant in Zambia    Two militants killed in foiled plot to revive 'Hasm' operations: Interior ministry    Egypt, Somalia discuss closer environmental cooperation    Egypt foils terrorist plot, kills two militants linked to Hasm group    Giza Pyramids' interior lighting updated with new LED system    Egypt's EHA, Huawei discuss enhanced digital health    Foreign, housing ministers discuss Egypt's role in African development push    Korea Culture Week in Egypt to blend K-Pop with traditional arts    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Three ancient rock-cut tombs discovered in Aswan    Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Egypt's Irrigation Minister urges scientific cooperation to tackle water scarcity    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    Egypt's Democratic Generation Party Evaluates 84 Candidates Ahead of Parliamentary Vote    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Nokia 3310 mobile phone resurrected at MWC 2017
Published in Amwal Al Ghad on 27 - 02 - 2017

Nokia's 3310 phone has been relaunched nearly 17 years after its debut.
Many consider the original handset iconic because of its popularity and sturdiness. More than 126 million were produced before it was phased out in 2005.
The revamped version will be sold under licence by the Finnish start-up HMD Global, which also unveiled several Nokia-branded Android smartphones.
One expert said it was a "fantastic way" to relaunch Nokia's phone brand.
"The 3310 was the first mass-market mobile and there's a massive amount of nostalgia and affection for it," commented Ben Wood from the technology consultancy CCS Insight.
If HMD had just announced three Android devices they would have barely got a couple of column inches in the press.
"So, the 3310 is a very clever move and we expect it will sell in significant volumes."
The announcement was made ahead of the start of the Mobile World Congress tech show in Barcelona. LG, Huawei and Lenovo are among others to have unveiled new devices.
Nokia no longer makes phones itself, but manufactures telecoms equipment, Ozo virtual reality cameras, and health kit under the Withings brand.
The new 3310 qualifies as a "feature phone" rather than a smartphone as it only provides limited internet facilities.
It relies on 2.5G connectivity – which has slower data speeds than 3G or 4G – and is powered by the S30+ operating system, which allows web browsing but has a much smaller range of apps than Android or iOS. Its single camera is also restricted to two megapixels.
However, its advantage over more powerful handsets is its battery life. HMD said the colour-screened phone has up to a month's standby time and delivers more than 22 hours of talk time.
It also comes with the modern version of the classic game Snake preinstalled.
Its launch price worth €49 ($51,75; £41.51).
"It's almost like a digital detox or a holiday phone," HMD's chief executive Arto Nummela said.
"If you want to switch off to an extent but you still need to have a mobile lifeline, it's a brilliant solution.
"Why wouldn't you buy this like candy? If you see this hanging on the shelf at the checkout in a package, then you'd just buy it as an accessory."
The device has a 16 megapixel rear camera, a 5.5in (14cm) 1080p full definition screen and includes the Google Assistant helper – the search engine's rival to Apple's Siri.
It is priced as a mid-tier device at €229, alongside a glossy black special edition that costs €299.
In addition, the firm showed off smaller, lower-range Nokia 5 and Nokia 3 models.
Taiwan's Foxconn will manufacture the phones, which may offset concerns that networks might have about HMD's capacity to deliver.
"Foxconn – with its experience working with Apple and Samsung – is certainly the standout device manufacturer," commented Tim Coulling from the tech research firm Canalys.
"It's ability to help HMD go from small to large scale will be a critical factor in their partnership.
"It also means if HMD wants to locate manufacturing in different regions to take advantage of pockets of demand, that's something Foxconn will allow them to achieve."
However, another market watcher said HMD's success was far from guaranteed.
"Resurrecting one of Nokia's feature phone bestsellers seems like a good beachhead to attack the smartphone market.
"But another part of Nokia's heritage was its high-end devices.
"What HMD needs next is a higher-end Android smartphone that is different, and that's always a problem with Android: how do you differentiate?
"Nokia's brand will get them so far- especially in emerging markets- but trying to push into the high-end versus Apple, Samsung or even Huawei will be tough."
There is no doubt what the headlines will be from the HMD Global Nokia event here in Barcelona, and they won't be about a new range of slick Android smartphones.
Yes, the reboot of the Nokia 3310 is fun, and perhaps there is a huge audience for a return to a time when all you could do with a phone was make calls and play Snake.
But make no mistake, if this piece of nostalgia is the future of the Nokia brand then it is doomed. And of course the smart team at HMD Global know that. T
hey haven't built partnerships with Foxconn, Google, and hundreds of operators around the world on the promise of a return to the 2G past.
It is phones like the Nokia 6 – apparently already selling well in China – which are key to any hopes of making the Finnish brand a force to be reckoned with again.
But of course yet another slab of metal and glass running Android was never going to excite the analysts and journalists tired of overblown launches where the words awesome and revolutionarya are thrown around like confetti.
Hence the decision to remind us of Nokia's glorious past, where everyone seemed to have a phone with that familiar ringtone and nobody was asking to borrow a charger to get them through the day. A stroke of marketing genius then – but a risky strategy.
If the phone-buying public one now sees Nokia as a retro brand rather one which has been reinvigorated for the 4 and 5G future, then HMD may come to regret its 3310 gimmick.
Source: BBC


Clic here to read the story from its source.