Nokia introduces the Nokia Asha 501: Specs, Price and Availability

Nokia today unveiled the first of a new family of Asha smartphones with the introduction of the Nokia Asha 501. The handset pushes the boundaries of affordable smartphone design with bold color, a high-quality build and an innovative user interface. The Nokia Asha 501 is the first device to run on the new Asha platform, which is designed to make the experience faster and more responsive.

Standout design, innovative user interface

The Nokia Asha 501 makes high-end design and quality accessible to more people. The device is available in a choice of six striking colours that complement the elegant design. It comes in just two parts: a durable, removable casing and the scratch-resistant glass display, which features a three-inch, capacitive touchscreen and a single 'back' button. The compact new Asha weighs only 98 grams, for the ultimate portability.

The Nokia Asha 501 is built to make it easier for people to access everything they love, with a simple swipe and a choice of two main screens: Home and Fastlane. Home is a traditional, icon-based view for launching individual apps or accessing a specific feature, like the dialler or phone settings. The new Fastlane view was inspired by how people really use their phone. Recently accessed contacts, social networks and apps, unique to each person, are stored and presented in Fastlane. It provides a record of how the phone is used, giving people a glimpse of their past, present and future activity, and helping them multi-task by providing easy access to their favorite features.

Smarter and more personal Internet experiences
The new Asha comes with Nokia Xpress Browser pre-loaded, which compresses Internet data by up to 90%. This is aimed at making mobile browsing faster and more affordable. Nokia also announced the availability of Nokia Xpress Now, a new Web application that recommends content based on location, preferences and trending topics. It will be available via the Browser homepage or as a download from Nokia Store.

Asha platform for next-generation family of devices
The new Nokia Asha 501 was purpose-built to give people the best possible mobile experiences at an affordable price. It is highly efficient, with an industry-leading standby time of up to 48 days. The Asha 501 is the first smartphone built on the new Asha platform, which leverages Nokia's investments in Smarterphone, a company which Nokia acquired in 2012.

The HERE experience, based on Nokia's leading location-based platform, will also be available as a download for the Nokia Asha 501, starting in Q3 2013 and will initially include basic mapping services.

Nokia Asha 501 Specifications
3-inch QVGA (320x240) TFT capacitive display
133ppi with 2-point multi-touch feature
Nokia Asha software platform 1.0
64MB of RAM
128MB of internal storage
microSD support up to 32GB (4GB card included)
3.2-megapixel fixed-focus camera (No LED flash)
QVGA@15fps video recording
Accelerometer / Proximity Sensor
FM radio with 3.5mm audio jack
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g / Bluetooth v3.0 with EDR
EasySwap Dual SIM (Optional)
GSM 900/1800 (Dual-band)
Li-Ion 1,200mAh battery
Standby time up to 48 days (Single SIM)
Standby time up to 26 days (Dual SIM)
Talk time up to 17 hours
99.2 x 58 x 12.1mm (dimensions)
98g (weight)
Colors: Bright Red, Bright Green, Cyan, Yellow, White and Black
FREE: Forty free EA Games worth €75 downloadable from Nokia Store

Pricing and Availability
The Nokia Asha 501 is expected to start shipping in June 2013. It is expected to be available through approximately 60 operators and distributors in more than 90 countries worldwide. Suggested pricing is 99 USD before taxes and subsidies.