Feature phones with added functionalities such as basic multimedia playback and internet access not as intuitive as smart phones – are almost things of the past now. Think about it. When have you last seen a feature phone release in the country? Even if the baby steps of local Filipino phone manufacturers banked on feature phones, they have mostly abandoned them in favor of smartphones. Their high-end flagships are pushing the boundary of powerful performance and affordability, and very basic smartphones have replaced the ultra-budget dumb phones.
The only notable and consistent feature phone manufacturer was Nokia (now Microsoft Mobile), with their Symbian and Asha operating systems. In fact, I’ve considered getting the Asha 503 because it just looks so darned awesome and it could do most of the things I needed my smart phone for. Sadly though, Microsoft’s announcement a month ago meant that Nokia’s feature phones will get no more support and development. Boohoo.
Just when I thought that the feature phone market would be seeing a huge hole, Microsoft recently went back on their announcement and teased the oh-so-simple Nokia 130. Available in single and dual SIM variants, it’s tagged at a very affordable $25 (probably around PHP 1,000 plus taxes here). It takes off all the phone clutter and strips down to the essentials – calls, texts, and multimedia.
It comes bearing the iconic and easily distinguishable Nokia design, with the monoblock form factor, classic T9 keypad, and striking red, black, and white color finishes. It measures 13.9mm thick and 106mm tall, fronted by a QQVGA 1.8-inch screen. I predict it will feel sturdy in the hand and will be as unbreakable as the Nokias of old.
For multimedia, it’s pegged to support microSDs up to 32GB. With a 1020mAh battery, it can pump out music for around two days nonstop and play videos for 16 hours straight. Impressive, yes, but I don’t recommend the latter as watching movies on the tiny screen with 114ppi pixel density might strain your eyes too much. Still, it’s nice to know that you can use the 130 as an absolute last option for viewing videos.
It seems like internet access won’t be possible through this one as it doesn’t support 3G. However, there are other connectivity features such as microUSB and Bluetooth 3.0 SLAM technology to help you fill the phone with entertainment items.
With these simplistic but functional features, the phone can last 36 days and 26 days respectively for the single and dual SIM versions, with a promised talk time of around 13 hours. It can certainly suffice as a first-time phone and is more than adequate as a backup mobile. The Nokia 130 is estimated to hit the stores later this year.
News source and images from: Nokia