A few hours ago, Nokia announced the future availability of Nokia 6212 Classic, a new NFC-enabled mobile phone. NFC (Near Field Communication) is a technology that allows users to experience the simplest possible interaction between various electronic devices.

Nokia 6212 Classic will enable users to easily share media content, access different services and make payments, with just "one tap of the device". For example, videos and photos can be almost instantly shared with another NFC-enabled device (a mobile phone, a digital frame etc), while pairing the 6212 Classic with a NFC-enabled Bluetooth headset (like Nokia's BH-210) can be done with a single touch.

With the new 6212 Classic, users will be able to make mobile payments, after storing their credit card information on the phone. Moreover, the handset can be used as a travel ticket for public transportation - you only have to charge tickets, over the air, into the phone.

Jeremy Belostock, the Head of Near Field Communications, Nokia, declared: "NFC-capable handsets such as the Nokia 6212 classic are set to change the way mobile phone users interact with devices and services in their surroundings. With the Nokia 6212 classic, people can swap items like business cards or calendar notes by simply tapping their handsets together. With ever-increasing device functions and services available, ease-of-use is essential. One way to keep things simple is NFC."

Beside the NFC technology, Nokia 6212 also offers 3G connectivity, a 2 inch TFT display with 240 x 320 pixels, Music player, FM radio, a 2 Megapixel camera and microSD card support for up to 4GB of extra memory. The phone is a candybar that resembles Nokia 6220 Classic, and it's not among the best looking handsets out there, but neither among the worst looking.

Nokia 6212 Classic should be available starting the third quarter of 2008, in Europe and Asia, for a quite affordable price: 200 Euros, or about $315.