Nokia Corp. announced it will sell its innovative 7280 phone for $600 on its Web site. The tri-band GSM device is shaped like a lipstick case and replaces a standard 10-key keypad with a round navigation pad. It also features an integrated digital camera and video player.
“Consumer response to the Nokia 7280 has been astounding,” said Ketrina Dunagan, director of Nokia’s Focused Appeal Business Line. “Our goal was to create a phone that was as much about self expression as it was about the latest technology. With the Nokia 7280 and the entire fashion collection of Nokia phones we have made a solid return to our fashion roots and will continue to build upon this successful introduction.”
This is not the first time Nokia has sold a phone in the United States without a carrier partner. Nokia has previously sold the 9290 and 5100, phones that U.S. carriers also declined to add to their line-ups, through its Web site. Although so-called unlocked phones are common in other parts of the world, they generally don’t fare well in the United States because carriers typically subsidize the cost of the phones they sell to entice customers.
