Feature phones had registered approximately as many sales as smartphones in India during last fiscal. The market is expected to grow for next few years
pic credits – Nokia IndiaHMD Global, the home of Nokia phones, has announced a new addition in its feature phone portfolio. Christened – Nokia 106, this feature phone, as per the company offers incredible battery life at an accessible price of Rs 1,299 in India.
Ajey Mehta, VP and country head – India, HMD Global, said, “India is an important feature phone market. Consumers here seek outstanding battery life, a simple to use interface, and great durability from a trusted brand like Nokia. Nokia phones are synonymous with these qualities and we’re delighted to introduce the Nokia 106 to our feature phone portfolio and hope to continue to drive connectivity for millions of consumers here.”
Feature phones had registered approximately as many sales as smartphones in India during last fiscal. The market is expected to grow for next few years.
Feature phone market in India
According to a research from Counterpoint’s Market Monitor service, India’s overall mobile phone shipments had grown 48 per cent YoY in Q1 2018. The market was driven by the feature phone segment which doubled in Q1 2018 due to strong shipments of Reliance JioPhone, while the smartphone market remained flat YoY.
The research read, “In the feature phone segment, Reliance Jio now captures more than one-third of the total feature phone market, the highest ever in a single quarter, since what Nokia achieved at its peak. Itel, is the third largest player in the feature phone segment with 17 per cent growth YoY in Q1 2018.”
Nokia 106 features
This latest feature phone from Nokia promises up to 15.7 hours talk time and up to 21 days standby time. Users can charge Nokia 106 phone using a micro-USB charger as well. It is made up of poly-carbonate body and features inherent coloring. HMD Global is claiming that the inherent coloring runs through the material, which makes scratches less detectable.
It comes loaded with the classic snake xaenzia game and can store up to 2000 contacts. Nokia 106 also sports a LED torch. Users can listen to radio stations through the in-built FM support. Its memory can store up to 500 messages.
Nokia 106 pricing and availability
Nokia 106 is available in dark grey color. The brand is recommending best buy price of Rs 1,299 across mobile retailers in the country as well as on India website of Nokia phones.
