Nokia Asha Series: Affordable Smart Feature Phones Overview

Nokia Asha Series (2012–2014): 500, 501, 502, 503 (Smart Feature Phones)

Definition

The Nokia Asha Series (2012–2014) is a lineup of smart feature phones positioned between basic feature phones and entry-level smartphones, launched by Nokia to target budget-conscious users in emerging markets. The four core models—Asha 500 (2013), Asha 501 (2013), Asha 502 (2013), and Asha 503 (2013)—blended the affordability and long battery life of feature phones with smartphone-like experiences, including touchscreens, simplified app ecosystems, and social media integration. Powered by Nokia’s Series 40 (S40) Asha Platform, these devices were designed for users seeking connectivity and basic smart functions without the cost of a full smartphone, and they played a key role in Nokia’s market strategy before the brand’s shift to Windows Phone and subsequent acquisition by Microsoft Mobile.

Series Overview

Model	Release Date	Key Positioning	Core Differentiator
Nokia Asha 500	October 2013	Compact touch-and-type budget model	Dual SIM, 2.8-inch touchscreen + physical keypad
Nokia Asha 501	May 2013	Flagship of the Asha 500 sub-series	First Asha model with the new S40 Asha Platform, 3-inch full-touch display
Nokia Asha 502	October 2013	Camera-focused smart feature phone	5MP rear camera with LED flash, glossy dual-tone design
Nokia Asha 503	October 2013	Premium Asha variant	3G connectivity, Gorilla Glass protection, higher display brightness

1. Nokia Asha 500 (2013)

Core Specifications

Design & Display

Form Factor: Compact touch-and-type candybar design, combining a touchscreen with a physical numeric keypad—ideal for users who preferred tactile input for messaging.
Display: 2.8-inch TFT resistive touchscreen, 240×320 QVGA resolution (143 ppi), 262,144 colors, and a matte finish to reduce fingerprints.
Build & Materials: Lightweight plastic casing; color options: Bright Red, Bright Green, Cyan, White, Black. Dimensions: 110.6×60.6×12.4 mm; Weight: 100g.
Dual SIM Support: A key selling point for emerging markets—hot-swappable dual SIM (no need to power off the phone to switch SIM cards).

Performance & Software

Chipset: 1 GHz single-core processor (unspecified manufacturer), paired with 64 MB RAM.
Storage: 2 GB internal storage, expandable up to 32 GB via microSD card—ample space for photos, music, and apps.
Software: Series 40 (S40) Asha Platform 1.0; supports Nokia’s Asha Touch UI, which featured swipe-based navigation, customizable home screens, and a simplified app drawer. Preloaded apps included Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, and Nokia Xpress Browser (optimized for low-data usage).
App Ecosystem: Access to the Nokia Store (formerly Ovi Store), with a curated selection of lightweight apps and games (e.g., Angry Birds, Fruit Ninja). No support for third-party smartphone app stores (e.g., Google Play).

Camera & Connectivity

Camera: 2 MP rear camera (1600×1200 pixels), fixed focus, no flash. Supports basic photo capture and QVGA (320×240) video recording at 15 fps—limited to daylight use. No front camera.
Connectivity: 2G GSM (900/1800 MHz); Bluetooth 3.0 (for file transfer and wireless headsets); micro-USB 2.0 (for charging and data sync). No 3G, Wi-Fi, or GPS.
Battery & Power: 1000 mAh removable Li-ion battery. Talk time: Up to 12 hours (2G); Standby time: Up to 528 hours (22 days); Music playback time: Up to 35 hours. Exceptional battery life for daily use.

2. Nokia Asha 501 (2013)

Core Specifications

Design & Display

Form Factor: Sleek full-touch candybar design, the first Asha model to ditch physical keypads entirely for a touch-only interface.
Display: 3-inch TFT capacitive touchscreen, 240×320 QVGA resolution (133 ppi), 262,144 colors. Supports multi-touch gestures (e.g., pinch-to-zoom in the browser).
Build & Materials: Durable plastic casing with a glossy finish; color options: Bright Red, Bright Green, Cyan, Yellow, White, Black. Dimensions: 103.5×59×12.8 mm; Weight: 98g—ultra-light for its size.
Dual SIM Support: Dual SIM (dual standby) with hot-swappable secondary SIM slot.

Performance & Software

Chipset: 1 GHz single-core processor, 64 MB RAM—same as the Asha 500, optimized for the touch-only UI.
Storage: 2 GB internal storage, expandable up to 32 GB via microSD card.
Software: Series 40 (S40) Asha Platform 1.0 (launch device for the new platform); introduced the Fastlane UI—a swipeable side screen that aggregated social media notifications, recent calls, and messages in real time, mimicking smartphone-style activity feeds.
Key Software Features: Nokia Xpress Browser (data compression up to 90%), offline FM radio, and preloaded social apps (Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp). Supports background app refresh for social media.

Camera & Connectivity

Camera: 3.2 MP rear camera (2048×1536 pixels), fixed focus, no flash. Captures decent daylight photos and QVGA video (15 fps). No front camera.
Connectivity: 2G GSM (900/1800 MHz); Bluetooth 3.0; micro-USB 2.0. No 3G or Wi-Fi—a major limitation for users seeking faster internet access.
Battery & Power: 1200 mAh removable Li-ion battery. Talk time: Up to 17 hours (2G); Standby time: Up to 840 hours (35 days); Music playback time: Up to 48 hours—industry-leading battery life for a touchscreen device.

3. Nokia Asha 502 (2013)

Core Specifications

Design & Display

Form Factor: Compact full-touch candybar design, similar to the Asha 501 but with a more premium glossy finish and rounded edges.
Display: 3-inch TFT capacitive touchscreen, 240×320 QVGA resolution (133 ppi), 262,144 colors—identical to the Asha 501.
Build & Materials: Glossy plastic casing with dual-tone color options (e.g., Black & White, Red & White, Green & White); the rear cover featured a textured grip to prevent slipping. Dimensions: 102×58×12.6 mm; Weight: 100g.
Dual SIM Support: Hot-swappable dual SIM (dual standby).

Performance & Software

Chipset: 1 GHz single-core processor, 64 MB RAM—consistent with the Asha 500/501.
Storage: 2 GB internal storage, expandable up to 32 GB via microSD card.
Software: Series 40 (S40) Asha Platform 1.1—an updated version of the platform with improved app performance and faster UI navigation. Retained the Fastlane UI for social media aggregation.

Camera & Connectivity (Key Upgrade: Camera with Flash)

Camera: 5 MP rear camera (2592×1944 pixels), fixed focus, LED flash—the biggest upgrade over the Asha 500/501. The flash enabled low-light photography, a critical feature for users in regions with poor lighting conditions. Supports QVGA video recording (15 fps). No front camera.
Connectivity: 2G GSM (900/1800 MHz); Bluetooth 3.0; micro-USB 2.0. No 3G or Wi-Fi.
Battery & Power: 1010 mAh removable Li-ion battery. Talk time: Up to 14 hours (2G); Standby time: Up to 528 hours (22 days); Music playback time: Up to 35 hours—slightly reduced battery life compared to the Asha 501 due to the smaller battery.

4. Nokia Asha 503 (2013) – Premium Asha Variant

Core Specifications

Design & Display

Form Factor: Full-touch candybar design with a premium build, including Corning Gorilla Glass 2 protection for the display—resistant to scratches and minor drops.
Display: 3-inch TFT capacitive touchscreen, 240×320 QVGA resolution (133 ppi), 262,144 colors, and enhanced brightness (up to 400 nits)—ideal for outdoor use in sunny climates.
Build & Materials: Matte plastic casing with a metallic finish on the side edges; color options: Bright Red, Bright Green, Cyan, White, Black. Dimensions: 102×58×12.8 mm; Weight: 103g.
Dual SIM Support: Hot-swappable dual SIM (dual standby).

Performance & Software

Chipset: 1 GHz single-core processor, 128 MB RAM—a significant upgrade over the 64 MB RAM in other Asha models, resulting in smoother multitasking and faster app loading.
Storage: 2 GB internal storage, expandable up to 32 GB via microSD card.
Software: Series 40 (S40) Asha Platform 1.1—optimized for the 128 MB RAM to deliver better performance. Retained the Fastlane UI with support for more social media apps (e.g., Instagram Lite).

Camera & Connectivity (Key Upgrades: 3G + Wi-Fi)

Camera: 5 MP rear camera, fixed focus, LED flash—same as the Asha 502, with improved image processing for better color accuracy. Supports QVGA video recording (15 fps). No front camera.
Connectivity: 3G WCDMA (900/2100 MHz) (up to 7.2 Mbps download speed) + Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n—the most critical upgrades for the Asha series. These features enabled faster internet browsing, app downloads, and Wi-Fi hotspot functionality (share mobile data with other devices). Also includes Bluetooth 3.0 and micro-USB 2.0.
Battery & Power: 1200 mAh removable Li-ion battery. Talk time: Up to 11 hours (3G) / 17 hours (2G); Standby time: Up to 528 hours (22 days); Music playback time: Up to 48 hours—balanced battery life despite the 3G/Wi-Fi features.

Key Series Traits & Target Audience

Budget-Centric Smart Experience: The Asha series filled the gap between basic feature phones (e.g., Nokia 105) and entry-level smartphones (e.g., Nokia Lumia 520), offering touchscreens and social media at a price point of $50–$80.
Emerging Market Focus: Dual SIM support, long battery life, and low-data optimization (via Nokia Xpress Browser) were tailored to users in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, where mobile data costs were high and network coverage was inconsistent.
Simplified Ecosystem: The S40 Asha Platform avoided the complexity of full smartphone OSes (Android/iOS), providing a user-friendly interface for first-time smart device users.
Hardware Tiering: Each model introduced targeted upgrades (camera flash, 3G/Wi-Fi, Gorilla Glass) to cater to different user needs, from basic connectivity to premium features.

Legacy & Discontinuation

The Asha series is remembered as Nokia’s last major feature phone lineup before the smartphone era fully dominated the market, and it set a benchmark for budget smart feature phones that influenced later devices from brands like Xiaomi and Samsung in emerging markets.

The Asha series was a commercial success for Nokia, selling over 100 million units globally between 2012 and 2014, and it remained the brand’s best-selling lineup in emerging markets during this period.

The series was discontinued in 2014 following Microsoft’s acquisition of Nokia’s Devices and Services division. Microsoft phased out the S40 platform and shifted focus to Windows Phone devices, which ultimately failed to compete with Android and iOS.