Nokia plans for low-end touchscreen smartphones

Having suffered at the hands of Apple and RIM due to the lack of attractive smartphones, Nokia has made plain its intention to regain the initiative by expanding its very limited range of smartphones into the low-end, and including touchscreen capabilities.

Accepting that the Nokia E71 and 5800 XpressMusic have proved to be successful smartphones with each reported to be shipping more than a million units per month, Nokia CEO, Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo, has stated the company now "intends to expand it portfolio by offering smartphones at lower prices to reach more consumers."

Evidence this move is already underway comes from Taiwan with reports claiming Nokia has placed capacitive panel orders with Wintek and is considering the same with Synaptics--both local hi-technology firms. Wintek already supplies the resistive touchscreens used by the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic, with the latest reports from Taiwan claiming to expect more touchscreen devices to be announced by Nokia before the end of June. Other sources maintain Nokia placed rush orders for cell phone components in March and has actively resumed product development projects.

Nokia has resisted the adoption of capacitive touch for its lack of support for Asian-character handwriting recognition, a desirable function in Asian markets. However the success of capacitive touchscreen phones in the US and Europe, and the company's continuing difficulties breaking into the US market, seem to have persuaded them to consider a different approach.

For more on this story:
Unwired View
and Slash Gear

Related stories:
Nokia halts sales of 5800 XPress Music in the U.S. 
Nokia goes looking for a fight over touchscreen handsets
Nokia looks to regain handset initiative with futuristic products
Nokia's new strategy fails to impress