Foursquare Targets Feature-Phone Users With New Nokia App

Foursquare unveiled a new app designed for feature phones on Tuesday, specifically targetingNokia's range of Series 40 handsets.

S40 is a software platform used on the Finnish company's line of mid-range feature phones, as well as on its Asha series, which are marketed as low-end smartphones. Foursquare will be preloaded on new Asha devices worldwide when they hit the market in several months.

"Hundreds of millions of people around the world use Nokia S40 phones, and now they'll all have access to Foursquare," the location-based social network said in a blog post.

In fact, last year, Nokia said it sold 1.5 billion units of its S40 phones. With mobile consumers in developing markets opting to buy feature phones over costlier smartphones, it seems the Finnish company is tapping into the lucrative low-end handset market.

Last week, Nokia debuted two 3G-capable feature phones — each selling for $68 — that are specifically designed to provide users with quick Internet access.

Foursquare launched its original S40 app back in 2011. Those who own an S40 phone can get Foursquare's updated app in Nokia's Ovi Store.

Would you download and use Foursquare on a feature phone? Tell us in the comments, below.

Image courtesy of Janitors

Nokia Debuts $68 Mobile Phones Designed for Fast Internet Access

Smartphone may comprise a majority of mobile-phone shipments worldwide, but a sizeable number of handset users still prefer basic feature phones.

Nokia catered to the latter market on Wednesday by debuting two 3G-capable feature phones — the 207 and 208 — that are specifically designed to provide users with quick Internet access.

Available in red, cyan, yellow, white and black, the handsets have Nokia's traditional "candybar" design. They offer Internet-connection sharing, and come pre-installed with Twitter, Facebook and WhatsApp.

"The Nokia 207 and Nokia 208 are designed for people who like a classic phone and traditional keypad, but don't want to miss out on smartphone experiences, like staying connecting to social media and accessing the Internet," Timo Toikkanen, executive vice-president of the Finnish company's Mobile Phones division, said in a release.

The main differences between the 207 and 208 is that the latter has a camera with smart features, and comes in dual SIM and single SIM versions. The 207 has no camera, and is single SIM. Each cost $68.

A February report by Nielsen revealed that mobile consumers in developed markets tend to prefer smartphones, while feature phones are more popular in places such as India, Turkey and Russia.

What do you think of Nokia's new feature phones? Tell us in the comments, below.

Homepage image courtesy of Flickr, nechbi; Other images courtesy of Conversations by Nokia