Nokia breaks away from Microsoft with new $99 Asha phone

Failing to drive down the price on its Windows Phone devices, Nokia on Thursday announced a refresh of its Asha mobile operating system and the affordable Asha 501 phone. The handset is equipped with a 3-inch display, a 3.2-megapixel rear camera and either a single-SIM or dual-SIM configuration. The new Asha 501 is remarkably efficient, with Nokia promising a whopping 48 days of standby battery life for the single-SIM model and 26 days for the dual-SIM option.

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The revamped operating system grants users the ability to swipe between a traditional home screen with apps and basic phone functions, and the “Fastlane” option, which displays recently accessed contacts, social networks and apps.

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“It provides a record of how the phone is used, giving people a glimpse of their past, present and future activity, and helping them multi-task by providing easy access to their favorite features,” the company said.

The Nokia Asha 501 is expected to begin shipping in June to approximately 60 operators and distributors in more than 90 countries worldwide for $99.

This article was originally published on BGR.com