Nokia's new models to take on Motorola

Nokia, the world's largest mobile-phone maker, introduced new models with Internet capabilities as the market for such phones is forecast to almost triple to 250 million units next year.

The N76, a so-called smartphone that allows users to send e-mail, view video clips and download music, is scheduled to go on sale this quarter for a retail price of 390 euros ($507) excluding subsidies and taxes, Espoo, Finland-based Nokia said today in a release.

The foldable phone is 13.7 millimeters thick, or half an inch, similar to Motorola Inc.'s popular Razr model.

Internet-capable phones are becoming more popular and in emerging markets people typically access the Web for the first using a handset rather than a personal computer, Nokia Chief Executive Officer Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo said in the statement in connection with a consumer electronics show in Las Vegas.

Nokia, which has the widest product range according to Gartner Inc., has trailed Motorola and Samsung Electronics Co. in slimmer models.

"Mobility will be at the core of how the Internet evolves,'' Kallasvuo said in the statement. "With the Nokia N76, we've been able to offer people a beautifully designed product that outperforms the competition while being easy to use.''

Kallasvuo said close to 90 million so-called converged devices allowing mobile Internet were sold in 2006. Nokia sold 40 million such devices in 2006. Kallasvuo also said Nokia sold 140 million phones with cameras and 70 million music devices in 2006.

The N76 has a 2-megapixel camera and storage space for as many as 1,500 songs.

Nokia also unveiled the 6131 model that allows users to pay their bills and buy daily items such as coffee and hot dogs.

The phone will sell for $340 and will be available in selected markets. New headsets using Bluetooth technology that doesn't require a connecting wire to devices will be available globally this quarter.

The company introduced an upgraded version of its N800 Internet device called ``Tablet'' that can be used to make calls through the Skype service, and of its N93 model with a digitalvideo camera.

The N93i has a 3.2 megapixel camera and captures up to 30 frames per second, allowing Digital Versatile Disc, or DVD, quality videos. They replace the previous N770 and N93 models and have an estimated selling price of 399 euros and 600 euros, respectively. All new devices are scheduled to go on sale this quarter.

Shares of Nokia, which says 850 million people use its devices, fell 5 cents to 15.21 euros as of 10:40 a.m. in Helsinki.

Shares in mobile-phone companies tumbled on Friday after Motorola's fourth-quarter sales and profit fell short of analysts' estimates as the company introduced cheaper phones in China and India to compete with Nokia, hurting profit.