If you thought feature phones are dead, think again. Microsoft has announced the Nokia 222 and Nokia 222 Dual-SIM for emerging markets. The company says that the device "is designed to connect more people to the internet, and allow them to capture and share their world in new ways."
The Nokia 222 is a 2.5G feature phone with a 2.4-inch QVGA display sporting 320×240 pixels resolution. The rear of the phone houses a 2MP fixed focus camera, while there is no front-facing camera. It also supports expandable storage via microSD card. The phone has a candybar form factor.
In terms of connectivity, the Nokia 222 has Bluetooth 3.0 and Micro-USB ports. It also has GPRS and a 3.5mm audio jack. An 1100mAh battery powers the entire package. Microsoft claims that the device lasts for 20 hours of talk time and up to a month of standby time. Considering the battery life of most smartphones today, this might be considered as a factor to parallely own a basic smartphone.Both, the Nokia 222 and Nokia 222 Dual SIM, will be available in two colour options – Glossy Black and White. It has an introductory price of $37 (approx. Rs. 2,450), before taxes.
For its price, the Nokia 222 & Nokia 222 Dual-SIM are great for those looking for their first phone and don’t want an entry level smartphone experience. While the Lumia series smartphones no longer carry the Nokia tag, the 222 very clearly has the Nokia logo at the back. This is a good move, especially in a country like India, where Nokia had long been a synonym for feature phones. What do you think? Does it make sense to invest in a smartphone, or a feature phone under Rs. 5,000?