Finnish mobile phone manufacturer Nokia launched its new mobile device Asha 501 in the US market, on May 9, 2013. The phone is powered by a new Asha operating system and is priced at US$99.
The company released a statement announcing its dual-SIM Asha 501 and the new Asha OS with capabilities from the Norwegian mobile OS developer Smarterphone which Nokia bought back in January 2012. The company also claims that the device has a battery standby time of up to 48 hours.
The main feature of the new OS is the ability to swipe between two screens: first is the traditional home screen used to launch apps and phone functions and the second is ‘Fastlane’ skin which lists recently accessed contacts, apps and social networks. Nokia in its statement said, “The new Asha platform provides developers with an open, standards-based environment for creating quality apps for consumers. Developers can create apps for the Nokia Asha 501 that will be compatible with future Asha platform-based devices”.
The new Asha OS marks the departure from the earlier version that was based on the Nokia’s Series 40 operating system. New and refreshed Asha OS has been introduced in a time when the company announced a decline in the sales of its Asha series.
