MWC 2014: Nokia launches X, X+ & XL, its first smartphones running on Android OS

After a number of rumours about the same, Finnish-handset manufacturer Nokia has finally launched its first smartphones running on Google Inc's Android operating system at the ongoing Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2014 in Barcelona, Spain. The devices, three to be exact, are called Nokia X, X+, and XL, and will be running on a forked version of the Android OS that will come with both Nokia and Microsoft apps and services as well.

For those who don't already know, Microsoft had acquired Nokia's mobile handset business for $7.2 billion in September 2013. This makes the development even more interesting, since till now, all Nokia smartphones were running on Microsoft's competing Windows operating system. Here is a quick look at the specifications of the devices.

Nokia X & X+

Both Nokia X and X+ sport a 4 inch IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen display (800x480 pixel resolution) with 233ppi pixel density and run on a 1GHz dual core 8225 Qualcomm Snapdragon processor. While Nokia X has 568MB of RAM and its 4GB internal storage can be expanded up to 32GB with a microSD card, X+ comes with 768MB of RAM, 4GB of internal memory and 32GB of expandable memory (a 4GB card is included by the company).

Both the smartphones have a 3 megapixel fixed focus camera that can also record videos but no front facing camera. On the connectivity front, the devices have Bluetooth 3.0, Wi-Fi, dual-SIM capability, as well as a microSD card slot and a microUSB port.

The dimensions of both Nokia X and X+ are 115.5mm x 63mm x 10.4mm and their weight is 128.7 gm. Nokia has provided a 1,500 mAh battery in the devices which it claims will provide up to 13.3 hours of talk time and 17 days of standby time.

Nokia XL

This one sports a 5 inch IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen WVGA display (800x480 pixel resolution) with 187ppi pixel density and run on a 1GHz dual core 8225 Qualcomm Snapdragon processor. It has 768MB of RAM, 4GB of internal memory and 32GB of expandable memory (a 4GB card is included by the company).

The smartphone has a 5 megapixel auto focus camera with LED Flash that can also record videos, as well as a 2MP front facing camera for video calling. On the connectivity front, the devices have Bluetooth 3.0, Wi-Fi, dual-SIM capability, as well as a microSD card slot and a microUSB port.

The dimensions of the device are 141.4mm x 77.7mm x 10.9mm and its weight is 190 gm. Nokia has provided a 2,000 mAh battery in the device which it claims will provide up to 16 hours of talk time and 30 days of standby time.

The Nokia X family of smartphones runs on the Nokia X software platform (a forked version of the Android OS) with a fresh, tile-based user interface inspired by its Lumia family. All devices come with Fastlane, a screen which lets people switch between their favourite apps more smoothly. People can also access curated, quality-tested apps from Nokia Store and other third-party app stores. The devices also come with HERE Maps, with true offline maps and integrated turn-by-turn navigation; and Nokia MixRadio for free music streaming and downloadable playlists.

All devices are also pre-loaded with a variety of third-party apps and games and offer popular Microsoft services, including free cloud storage using OneDrive, and one month of Skype's Unlimited World Subscription. Both the Nokia X and Nokia X+ will be available in bright green, bright red, cyan, yellow, black and white. The Nokia XL will be available in bright green, orange, cyan, yellow, black and white.

The Nokia X will go on sale immediately, starting at 89 Euros (Rs 7,588) and rolling-out in India, Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa. The Nokia X+ and Nokia XL are expected to roll out in these markets starting Q2, 2014 and will be priced at 99 Euros (Rs 8,441) and 109 Euros (Rs 9,294), respectively.

In addition, the company has also unveiled two handsets designed for people experiencing the internet for the first time. These include the Nokia Asha 230 and the Nokia 220. Priced at 45 Euros (Rs 3,837) the Nokia Asha 230 is the most affordable Asha touch device, while the retail prices for the Nokia 220 start at 29 Euro (Rs 2,473).