The Engadget Interview: Nokia head of design Marko Ahtisaari at MWC 2013

The Engadget Interview Nokia head of design Marko Ahtisaari at MWC 2013

Hot on the heels of our interview with Stephen Elop, we sat down with Marko Ahtisaari -- head of design at Nokia -- to chat about the Lumia 720 and Lumia 520 Windows Phones along with the basic Lumia 301 and 105 models. The four handsets, which were introduced today at Mobile World Congress, share the same design language -- in fact, this marks the first time the company's extending its signature Lumia look and feel to devices costing as little as €15 ($20). We discussed the evolution of Nokia's current aesthetic from the Nokia N9 (and the Lumia 800) to the present day. Mr. Ahtisaari touched upon the engineering challenges involved in building affordable smartphones like the €139 ($184) Lumia 520. We talked about the Lumia 720's thin and light unibody shell and the Lumia 620's double-shot color scheme, then asked how the Asha design language fits into the current lineup. Curious about the answer? Watch our video interview after the break.

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The Engadget Interview: Nokia CEO Stephen Elop at MWC 2013

The Engadget Interview Nokia CEO Stephen Elop at MWC 2013

Nokia just launched the stylish Lumia 720 and Lumia 520 Windows Phones plus a pair of affordable candy bar handsets (Nokia 301 and 105) here at MWC 2013. We spent a few brief minutes with CEO Stephen Elop to discuss the announcement -- chatting about the common design language and the incredible price points for these devices (€15 / $20 for the Nokia 105 and €139 / $184 for the Lumia 520). I also quizzed Mr. Elop about the Lumia 920's ongoing camera woes and what's being done to address them we discussed the company's recent focus on entry-level smartphones like the delightful Lumia 620 and what it means in terms of strategy. Hit the break to watch our video interview.

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Nokia 105 and 301 candybar phones announced at MWC, offer simplicity on the cheap

Nokia 105 and 301 candybar phones announced to bring love, joy and peace to the entire world just like puppies and magic

Think Nokia's all about Lumias these days? While the Windows Phone brand is still the company's primary point of focus, it doesn't mean Nokia isn't still cranking out millions of basic phones for emerging markets around the globe. With that in mind, the Finnish phone giant has outed two such handsets at its event at Mobile World Congress. Sure, they aren't much to look at, but Nokia feels it's still an important element of its strategy to dominate the lower-end market segment.

The first cellular telephone unveiled at this morning's event is the Nokia 105, which is about as simple as they come these days. Once it arrives on the market this quarter, you'll be able to grab one for €15 ($20) in either cyan or black. It contains such features as a flashlight and FM radio, and the noteworthy bullet point is its month-long battery life (standby time). The second half of the pair is the 301 (pictured above), which is a bit more fancy at €65 ($85). It will come with a 3.2MP camera with panorama mode, sequential shots and a clever little self-portrait mode that audibly prepares you for your next glamour selfie. Additionally, the 301 lets you take advantage of Mail for exchange, Nokia Xpress internet (which compresses data down by about 90 percent) and HSPA connectivity with video sharing. Dual and single-SIM options will be available in Q2 of this year.

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