Nokia 515 launches in Russia

The new Nokia 515 phone was released today in Moscow, Russia by the Finnish handset manufacturer.

The 515 is not part of the Lumia range, and is clearly targeted at users looking for a simpler, and cheaper, smartphone experience. Priced at just ‚¬115 (just under £100) the device comes with a 2.4 inch non-touch display and is controlled by conventional touch buttons instead.

Despite being a stripped down device the Nokia 515 packs a fairly hefty 5 megapixel camera and Nokia are keen to promote the device’s photographic capabilities. The 515 includes a panorama mode, the ability to take 5 shots in sequence and, to compensate for the lack of a front facing sensor, the Nokia 515 also includes a self-portrait mode where voice instructions from the device guide the subject to keep their face in frame.

The 515 is a sign that Nokia are looking to capitalise on their popularity in emerging markets where the Lumia 520 has already won a lot of fans. It recently emerged as well that the Windows Phone operating system has become the 2nd most popular in Central and South America, almost exclusively due to the popularity of the lower priced Lumia devices. The Nokia 515 has the potential to make the same impact and the launch in Russia suggests that this device may be Nokia’s attempt to break into the Russian and Eastern European markets as well.