14 DAY TRIAL // Nokia announced today that it would soon start to sell its WCDMA 3G mobile handsets in Korea, and the first device model to become available in the country would be the Nokia 6210s. At the same time, the company would also mark the debut of its 3G mobile phones on the Korean market.
According to Colin Giles, senior vice president, Greater China, Japan and Korea, Nokia, this would be the right time for the company to enter the market in the country. “With the launch of 3G WCDMA networks and the move by the local operators to more open international standards, Korea has become a more viable market for global players,” he added.
In addition, it seems that the Finnish mobile phone maker has plans to release a wider range of devices in Korea. Giles stated that the company would introduce only a small number of handsets during the first year, but it intended to “build its product portfolio overtime, learning from the market as we go.” The Nokia 6210s smartphone could prove a great device to mark the company's debut in Korea, since it comes in a sliding form factor and is able to see a lot of traction on the market.
Mr. Won-Do Lee, vice president, Handset Strategy Office, KTF, said, “We are delighted to welcome Nokia to Korea and to add the Nokia 6210s to our product portfolio. We have worked very closely with Nokia to bring this first product to market. By having the world's number one phonemaker in our product stable we are giving our customers the ability to choose from a wide variety of 3G devices.”
The Nokia 6210s smartphone is powered by the S60 software, comes with a 3.2-megapixel photo snapper, includes an MP3 player, stereo FM radio and sports video playback capabilities, and its camera allows users to take photos in panoramic mode, while also offering them the possibility to upload images to Flickr. The handset is shipped with a 1GB memory card in the package.
This is not the first time the Finnish mobile phone maker enters Korea. The company has had manufacturing facilities in Masan since 1984, yet the Nokia 6210s is the first Nokia WCDMA handset to go on sale in the country.
“We are very proud of the fact that the Nokia 6210s will be stamped 'Made in Korea'. For nearly two decades we have been exporting finely-crafted mobile phones made in Masan to the rest of world. Now, finally, what we have made in Masan can be sold in Seoul,” Giles added.
The Nokia 6210s is already available for purchase in Korea via KTF shops, while sporting a price tag of KRW 396,000.