The four new mobiles come with colour displays, Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) as well as integrated cameras. But staple features aside, the 6230, 6820, 7200 and 7700 differ widely in aesthetics and target groups.
Among the models unveiled was the 7200, Nokia's first folding handset for GSM markets, a sleek device is aimed at the fashion conscious crowd. It sports interchangeable fabric covers with matching handstraps, headsets and screensavers.
Meanwhile, the messaging-centric 6820 supports BlackBerry email. Like its predecessor, the 6800, the new Nokia opens up to a full QWERTY keyboard.
The 7700 is Nokia's closest implementation of a handheld yet. Based on the Symbian-based Series 90, it offers a 65,000-color with 640 x 320-pixel resolution, handwriting recognition and 64 megabytes of memory. A hardware number pad is notably missing.
The 7230, the most conventional Nokia, continues to bump up the feature set. It includes Bluetooth, triband, and MP3 support.
All phones will be available in most parts of the Asia-Pacific by the second half of next year.
Nokia recently reported net profits of US$960 million for the third quarter, claiming a 39 percent global market share. It also announced plans to restructure its business from two to four main units--Mobile Phones, Multimedia, Networks and Enterprise Solutions.
"We are breaking up Nokia Mobile Phones--which currently comprise 80 percent of our revenues today--into smaller and more specialised business groups, giving them full responsibility to drive and create their own business systems," said Robert Andersson, senior vice president for Nokia Mobile Phones, Asia Pacific, at the launch event in Brisbane, Australia.
The revamp, expected to take effect in January 2004, will be the second in three years. Like the reorganisation of 2002, it expands Nokia's focus from pure-play mobile phones, a direction that has given rise to devices such as the Nokia N-Gage game deck.
But despite being the world handset leader, recent product launches have seen Nokia move away from a pure communications focus. For example, the Nokia Medallions revealed last month are electronic lockets to be worn around the neck.
"It's beyond communications and mobile phones. It's much bigger than that," he Andresson. "Mobile voice were just the first wave, then there was SMS. Now the next big waves are in the making."
"Nokia's vision is that life goes mobile. Any service, any function that can be digitised will be digitised. It will be mobile and it can be transported over radio technology. Anything that can be digitised will be mobilised," he said.
CNETAsia's Aloysius Choong reported from Brisbane, Australia.
