The iPhone 7, Galaxy S7 and many other great looking devices are currently available. But if you’re looking for something more simple and with a lower price tag, Microsoft has just unveiled a new Nokia feature phone. It is called the Nokia 216 and it does not come with a large display or dual-cameras but it does have the look of a classic phone from ten years ago.
The unveil is actually a little surprising because it was announced a few months ago that Microsoft had reached an agreement to sell its Nokia feature phone business to FIH Mobile, a branch of Foxconn, for $350 million. Microsoft acquired Nokia’s phone business for $7.2 billion in 2013.
The deal announced in May has not been closed but a Microsoft spokesperson told ZDNet that the transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2016. The spokesperson added that until the closing of the transaction, the company continues to run the feature business.
Microsoft and the Nokia brand, which had dropped from first place in the smartphone market before it was acquired, had not done well together. But it appears that the company will release two Nokia phones before the deal is completed later this year.
The Nokia 216 could be the last Nokia feature phone from Microsoft but it was reported back in May that Nokia was planning to return to smartphones and tablets this year. The Nokia 216 is a basic phone with a small display, numeric keypad and 0.3 MP cameras. The phone supports up to 32GB microSD cards and there’s also a version with Dual SIM.
The new feature phone reminds us a lot of the phones we used to have ten or twelve years ago. The phone may not seem like a good option for those who like the latest in technology but feature phones are actually still very popular in many countries.
The Nokia 216 is a basic phone but it is a good option for those who really don’t want to spend hundreds of dollars on a smartphone. The Nokia 216 has a few advantages too, including a long lasting battery. Feature phones can also survive a few drops, unlike some of the smartphones we have today. Oh and the Nokia 216 has a low price of $37.
When was the last time you used a feature phone? Would you ever return to a feature phone? Let us know in the comments.
