Nokia's secret is out: Launches $99 'Asha 501'; free Facebook

New phone can type Malayalam and to be available in June

Nokia Asha 501 launched. Bundles free Facebook. Prices the phone at $99 and to be made available in June.

The full touch smart phone will run on a reengineered operating system the Asha Software Platform and according to CEO Stephen Elop will reinvent the affordable smart phone market.

Making the announcement in New Delhi in India Elop says the company will become the first smartphone to enter into a global partnership with Facebook. Which means anyone buying the new Asha 501 will be able to access Facebook for free. Nokia has already entered into an agreement with key network operators in India and a few other countries and are in discussion with several others across the globe.

Click to see gallery of Nokia launches new $99 phone

The Asha 501 is built with a 3-inch QVGA screen (320 x 240) and will come with a free 4GB micro SD card, a 3.2 megapixel back camera. The phone is however not 3G enabled and will work only on 2G and wifi.

The OS is fit and purpose designed to cater to the growing number of first time smart phone users.

The phone will come in six colours and can even type Malayalam.

“Performance isn’t just a feature. It is the only feature,” says Stephen Elop making the announcement.

The phone comes with several innovative features including seamless experience where you can share content from one phone to another by just placing them next to each other and another new feature called Nokia Express.

Read more at Emirates247.com