AT&T Mobility will begin selling Nokia Corp.’s 6650 smartphone on Friday for $70, with two-year contract and a $50 mail-in rebate, a Nokia Corp. executive said.
The 3G flip-style phone runs the Symbian platform and offers “industry-leading talk time,” an HTML browser, AT&T Mobility’s Navigator, Video Share and Mobile Music services and includes a 2-megapixel camera, according to Ian Laing, general manager of Nokia’s AT&T Mobility account team.
According to Laing, the 6650 is one among several handsets under development for years between the two parties at Nokia’s San Diego research-and-development facility.
The device’s cover is brushed metal and its traditional keypad allows custom lighting effects.
“This is part of a rollout that began last year and will continue next year,” Laing said.
AT&T Mobility, of course, currently is the largest carrier in the United States, a market where Nokia has little footing. The Finnish handset maker had appeared to resist the expensive customization requirements of U.S. carriers. Nokia has three handset models currently at AT&T Mobility, all of them “free” with a two-year contract.
Ironically, although Nokia has nearly 40% market share globally, its share of the U.S. market is about 10% and its brand is not universally recognized here.
Laing said that marketing plans for the Nokia 6650 were still under discussion between vendor and carrier.
Nokia to sell $70 smartphone through AT&T Mobility
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