Nokia Lumia 610 Starts Shipping in Asia

Today, Finnish mobile phone maker Nokia announced that the Nokia Lumia 610, its most affordable Windows Phone device, has started rolling-out in Asia.

Starting with the next week, the smartphone will be available for purchase in the Philippines, and should gradually arrive in China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan and Vietnam in the following weeks.

Additionally, the company plans on making the smartphone available for purchase in other markets around the world.

Lumia 610 was launched as the most affordable handset in Nokia’s Lumia series, but with the same features and capabilities as higher-end devices.

It is aimed at a younger audience, and features various social networking capabilities through PeopleHub, which puts together all mobile, email, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn contacts.

Additionally, the device offers fast web browsing, courtesy of Internet Explorer for mobile, and provides users with fast access to games via Xbox Live.

When made available for purchase, the Lumia 610 will also provide users with WiFi tethering and flip-to-silence capabilities. It will also support cloud syncing with SkyDrive.

Additionally, it will deliver access to specific applications that Nokia has designed for Windows Phone, such as Nokia Maps, Nokia Drive, Nokia Transport and Nokia Music, and will also support other apps available through the Windows Phone Marketplace.

"The Nokia Lumia 610 will introduce Windows Phone to a new generation of smartphone users, offering something very different to the monochromatic smartphones filling shelves today," said Jo Harlow, Head of Smart Devices at Nokia.

"PeopleHub, Nokia services and quality apps - coupled with a fast and friendly interface - will make for a great smartphone experience at a great price."

Nokia Lumia 610 is set to become available for purchase in black, cyan, magenta and white, while featuring an estimated price tag of EUR189 before applicable taxes and subsidies (around $250).

“The Nokia Lumia 610 is also a great smartphone for students who will appreciate the built-in Microsoft Office app. Word mobile, PowerPoint mobile, Excel mobile to manage documents, and OneNote mobile to capture notes, ideas, pictures and voice memos make working on the go easier,” Nokia notes.