Nokia Expects X1-00 Music Phone Will Sell for Under €35

The Nokia X1-00 is designed to allow users in emerging markets to listen to music on their phone, Nokia said in a blog post on Tuesday.

The X1-00 will cost about €34 (US$50) before operator subsidies and taxes. It has an MP3 player, a 3.5 millimeter audio jack and an integrated loudspeaker. The music is stored on a microSD memory card, and the largest card capacity the phone can handle is 16GB. There is also an FM radio.

Downloading music to the phone directly from the Internet is not an option. The X1-00 is based on the Series 30 operating system, which doesn’t include a web browser or any other form of Internet connectivity.

The phone is primarily aimed at emerging markets, where PCs aren’t as common as in more mature markets. Without a PC of their own, X1 owners might find it difficult to side-load music onto phone’s memory card. One solution would be to go to an Internet cafe to add music to the phone, a Nokia spokesman said.

Phone owners should choose legal options to obtain their music, Nokia said. “There are ample opportunities for people to download music in the proper, legal way — from our own music service as well as those services offered by others, including operators where DRM-free is available — before side-loading on to the X1,” a spokesman said.

Other features of the phone include a built-in flashlight and up to five separate phone books, which will allow a family or neighbors to share a phone, Nokia said.

The standby battery life is rated at up to 61 days, and the phone can play music for a maximum of 38 hours, according to a Nokia data sheet.

The Nokia X1-00 is scheduled to be available in some markets beginning in April.

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