Nokia Launches New Symbian Smartphones, Software Tools

Nokia Corp. (NOK) Tuesday launched three new smartphones to join its flagship N8 model, and announced upgrades to its developer tools as it looks to regain ground lost against rivals in the high-end phone market.

The world's biggest handset maker announced details of the E7, C7 and new C6, alongside the N8, at its annual Nokia World event, all based on its new Symbian operating platform, which Nokia said has more than 250 new features and improvements compared with the old system.

"Today our fight back to smartphone leadership shifts into high gear," said Niklas Savander, Nokia's executive vice president for markets.

Nokia has lost ground against rivals like Apple Inc. (AAPL) with its iPhone and BlackBerry maker Research in Motion Ltd. (RIMM), as well as smartphones based on Google Inc.'s (GOOG) Android platform. The new models come just days after Nokia appointed a new chief executive, Stephen Elop, and the head of its mobile solutions unit resigned, adding further uncertainty to the company.

The N8 flagship smartphone, with 12 megapixel camera and High-Definition video capabilities, was described by Nokia as "the ultimate entertainment smartphone and the world's best camera phone." The company said it had received the highest-ever demand for online pre-orders for the device and has signed up 100 operators to offer it, including Vodafone Group PLC (VOD). It will be priced at EUR370, excluding taxes and subsidies.

The E7, priced at EUR495 before taxes and subsidies, is aimed at business users and features a slide-out Qwerty keyboard and a four-inch touchscreen display, as well as enhanced security features. The C7 is a social-networking smartphone with a three-and-a-half-inch screen and will sell for EUR335. The smaller C6 touchscreen phone has social networking and entertainment features and will sell for EUR260.

"Our new family of smartphones introduced today feature the all-new Symbian OS, rewritten to be faster, easier to use, more efficient and more developer friendly," Savander said. "Despite new competition, Symbian remains the most widely used smartphone platform in the world," Savander said.

All the models are expected to be available for delivery in time for the key Christmas period and will have access to Nokia's updated Ovi Store and free access to Ovi Maps, Nokia's navigation application.

At the same time, Nokia said it had improved its software development tools, Nokia Qt Software Development Kit and Series 40 Touch and Type SDK, to make it easier to develop applications for Symbian-based phones and updated its Ovi Store.

"Our announcements will certainly bring more great apps to Nokia products, especially our new family of Symbian smartphones announced today," said Purnima Kochikar, vice president for Forum Nokia. "We have made it much simpler, removed obstacles and made it more lucrative for people to build apps for our phones," Kochikar said.