Engineering:Nokia Asha series
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| Manufacturer | Nokia (2011–2014) Microsoft Mobile (2014) HMD Global (2026-present) |
|---|---|
| Compatible networks | 2G EDGE 3G HSPA+ (some models) 4G LTE (HMD models) |
| Availability by region | 2011–2014 2026-present |
| Predecessor | Nokia Cseries Nokia Xseries |
| Operating system | Proprietary (Series 40, Nokia Asha platform) Pulse OS based on Android (HMD models) |
| Memory | Between 16 MB and 128 MB |
| Removable storage | microSD (up to 32 GB) |
| Battery | Between 1010 mAh and 1430 mAh |
| Data inputs | QWERTY, touch and type, full screen |
| Display | Between 2.4 inches and 3.0 inches |
| Rear camera | Between 0.3 MP and 5 MP |
| Front camera | No |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth 2.1 or 3.0 Wi-Fi (some models) FM radio 3.5 mm audio jack microUSB 2.0 |
| Development status | Discontinued |
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Nokia Asha is a discontinued series of feature phones and low-end smartphones produced and marketed by Nokia. It was marketed from late 2011 until 2014, by which time it was under Microsoft Mobile ownership, before will be revival in 2026 by HMD Global as HMD Asha. The range consisted of QWERTY keyboard, full touchscreen, and hybrid 'touch and type' handsets. Most Asha phones run Series 40 while from 2013 full touch models run the derived Nokia Asha platform.
History
The Nokia Asha range was announced at Nokia World 2011 on 26 October 2011 alongside the Nokia Lumia. Asha was developed for emerging markets with the goal of connecting the "next billion" to the Internet, as cited by then Nokia CEO Stephen Elop.[1][2] The name "Asha" comes from the Hindi word meaning "hope".[3]
According to The Verge in September 2013, Nokia had a project referred to as Asha on Linux and also as "MView"—a reference to Mountain View. The project used a fork of Android on a low-end handset to maximize margins. The project resulted in the Nokia X family of devices, unveiled at MWC 2014. It was one of two known Android projects at the company, the other was running the OS on high-end Lumia hardware.[4]
On 3 September 2013, Microsoft announced its purchase of Nokia's mobile device business, with the deal closing on 25 April 2014. The company previously announced an intent to use Asha as an "on-ramp" to the Windows Phone platform,[5][6] but in a company memo released in July 2014, it was announced that as part of cutbacks, Microsoft would end the Asha and Android-based Nokia X range entirely, in favor of solely producing Lumia Windows Phones and Nokia-branded "feature phone" products.[7]
On 11 January 2018, HMD Global acquired the Asha trademark.[8][9] Also, in 2025, the HMD Touch 4G was released in India with the same design as the Asha, but running MOCOR OS based S30+ instead[10]. In 2026, HMD announced HMD Asha 305 as a revival of the original Nokia Asha 305, but running Android 11-based Pulse OS instead.[11] In 2026, HMD released HMD Touch AI in China, which was the Chinese version of HMD Touch 4G.[12]
List of devices
Below are the mobile phones in the Asha range.
The Asha 305 and Asha 311 models are known as the first generation of Asha Full Touch phones; the second generation is the Asha 50x line. All devices up to the Asha 50x series run the Nokia domestic operating system with Series 40 UI platform, also known as S40. The Asha 501 (released in May 2013), Asha 500, Asha 502, Asha 503 and Asha 230 (announced on 14 February 2014) are powered by the Nokia Asha platform, which builds on S40 and Smarterphone.[13][14] The revival version of Nokia Asha 305, called HMD Asha 305 are powered by the Pulse OS, which based on Android.[11]
| Model | Date announced | SIM config | Input method | Data bearers | Wi-Fi | Display size | RAM | Camera | Operating system | HERE Maps
(note: none of the Asha devices have GPS) |
Predecessor(s) or similar earlier models (if applicable) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asha 200 | 2011-10-26 | Dual[15] | QWERTY | EDGE, GPRS | No | 2.4" | 32 MB | 2 MP | Series 40 | Nokia X1-01
Nokia X2-01 | |
| Asha 201 | 2011-10-26 | Single[16] | QWERTY | EDGE, GPRS | No | 2.4" | 32 MB | 2 MP | Series 40 | Nokia X1-01
Nokia X2-01 | |
| Asha 202 | 2012-02-27 | Dual | Touch and type | EDGE, GPRS | No | 2.4" | 16 MB | 2 MP | Series 40 | Some markets[17] | |
| Asha 203 | 2012-02-27 | Single | Touch and type | EDGE, GPRS | No[18] | 2.4" | 16 MB | 2 MP | Series 40 | Some markets | |
| Asha 205 | 2012-11-25 | Single and dual | QWERTY | DTM (MSC 12), EDGE, GPRS |
No[19] | 2.4" | 16 MB | 0.3 MP | Series 40 | Nokia Asha 200 (dual SIM version)
Nokia Asha 201 (single SIM version)[20] | |
| Asha 210 | 2013-04-24 | Single and dual | QWERTY | DTM (MSC 12), EDGE, GPRS |
Yes | 2.4" | 32 MB | 2 MP | Series 40 | Yes | |
| Asha 230 | 2014-02-24 | Single and dual | Capacitive touchscreen | EDGE, GPRS | No | 2.8" | 64 MB | 1.3 MP | Nokia Asha platform | ||
| Asha 300 | 2011-10-26 | Touch and type | HSDPA Cat9 (10.2 Mbit/s) HSUPA Cat5 (2.0 Mbit/s) |
No | 2.4" | 128 MB | 5 MP | Series 40 | Nokia C3-01 | ||
| Asha 302 | 2012-02-27 | QWERTY | HSDPA Cat10 (14.4 Mbit/s) HSUPA Cat6 (5.76 Mbit/s) |
Yes | 2.4" | 128 MB | 3.2 MP | Series 40 | Nokia C3-00 | ||
| Asha 303 | 2011-10-26 | QWERTY / Touch and type | HSDPA Cat10 (14.4 Mbit/s) HSUPA Cat6 (5.76 Mbit/s) |
Yes | 2.6" | 128 MB | 3.2 MP | Series 40 | Yes | Nokia X3-02 | |
| Asha 305 | 2012-06-06 | Dual | Resistive touch screen | EDGE, GPRS | No | 3.0" | 32 MB | 2 MP | Series 40 | Yes | |
| Asha 306 | 2012-06-06 | Resistive touch screen | EDGE, GPRS | Yes | 3.0" | 32 MB | 2 MP | Series 40 | Yes | ||
| Asha 308 | 2012-09-25 | Dual | Capacitive touch screen | EDGE, GPRS | No | 3.0" | 64 MB | 2 MP | Series 40 | Yes | Nokia Asha 305 |
| Asha 309 | 2012-09-25 | Capacitive touch screen | EDGE, GPRS | Yes | 3.0" | 64 MB | 2 MP | Series 40 | Yes | Nokia Asha 306 | |
| Asha 310 | 2013-02-13 | Dual | Capacitive touch screen | EDGE, GPRS | Yes | 3.0" | 64 MB | 2 MP | Series 40 | Yes | |
| Asha 311 | 2012-06-06 | Capacitive touch screen w/ Gorilla Glass | HSDPA Cat10 (14.4 Mbit/s) HSUPA Cat6 (5.76 Mbit/s) |
Yes | 3.0" | 128 MB | 3.2 MP | Series 40 | Yes | Nokia 5250[21] | |
| Asha 500 | 2013-10-22 | Single and dual | Capacitive touch screen | GPRS, EDGE | Yes | 2.8" | 64 MB | 2 MP | Nokia Asha platform | ||
| Asha 501 | 2013-05-09[22] | Single and dual | Capacitive multi-point touch display | EDGE, GPRS | Yes | 3.0" | 64 MB | 3.2 MP | Nokia Asha platform | Yes | |
| Asha 502 | 2013-10-22 | Dual | Capacitive touch screen | GPRS, EDGE | Yes | 3.0" | 64 MB | 5 MP +LED flash
|
Nokia Asha platform | ||
| Asha 503 | 2013-10-22 | Single and dual | Capacitive touch screen w/ Gorilla Glass 2[23] | HSDPA Cat7 (7.2 Mbit/s) HSUPA Cat6 (5.76 Mbit/s) |
Yes | 3.0" | 128 MB | 5 MP +LED flash
|
Nokia Asha platform | ||
| HMD Asha 305 | 2026 | Dual | Capacitive touch screen | GPRS, EDGE, LTE | Yes | 5.0" | 2 GB | 2 MP | Pulse OS | Nokia Asha 305 |
- Feature phones without the Asha name powered by S30+/S40
The Nokia 206, 207, 208, 301, Touch 4G and Touch AI were not part of the Asha series as they do not carry the "Asha" branding, despite mistakenly being marketed as such by some carriers and retailers.
| Model | Date announced | SIM config | Input method | Data bearers | Wi-Fi | Camera | Operating system | HERE maps | Predecessor(s) or similar earlier models (if applicable) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nokia 206 | 2012-11-25[24] | Dual | Keypad | EDGE, GPRS | 1.3 MP | Series 40 | Yes | ||
| Nokia 207 | 2013-07-03 | Keypad | HSDPA Cat10 (14.4 Mbit/s) HSUPA Cat6 (5.76 Mbit/s) |
Series 40 | Yes | ||||
| Nokia 208 | 2013-07-03 | Single and dual | Keypad | HSDPA Cat10 (14.4 Mbit/s) HSUPA Cat6 (5.76 Mbit/s) |
1.3 MP | Series 40 | Yes | ||
| Nokia 301 | 2013-02-24[25] | Dual | Keypad | HSDPA Cat10 (14.4 Mbit/s) HSUPA Cat6 (5.76 Mbit/s) |
3.15 MP | Series 40 | Yes | ||
| HMD Touch 4G | 19 Oct 2025[26] | Dual | Touch | yes | 3.15 MP | Series 30+ | N/A | ||
| HMD Touch AI | 2026 | Dual | Touch | yes | 3.15 MP | Series 30+ | N/A | HMD Touch 4G |
See also
References
- ↑ "Nokia to flood emerging markets with budget blowers". 26 October 2011. https://www.theregister.com/2011/10/26/nokia_keeps_symbian_shining_with_budget_blowers/.
- ↑ Davies, Chris (2011-10-26). "Nokia's Elop Unveils Asha: Phones For The Next Billion" (in en-US). https://www.slashgear.com/nokias-elop-unveils-asha-phones-for-the-next-billion-26190809/.
- ↑ Bartlett, Karen (2 November 2011). "Naming the Nokia Lumia". Conversations by Nokia. Nokia. http://conversations.nokia.com/2011/11/02/naming-the-nokia-lumia. "Asha is the Hindi word for hope: it sounds good, and it has meaning."
- ↑ "Nuclear options: Microsoft was testing Surface Phone while Nokia experimented with Android". 13 September 2013. https://www.theverge.com/2013/9/13/4728184/microsoft-surface-phone-testing-while-nokia-experimented-with-android.
- ↑ "Microsoft buys Nokia's Devices and Services Unit, unites Windows Phone 8 and its hardware maker". The Verge. 2 September 2013. https://www.theverge.com/2013/9/2/4688530/microsoft-buys-nokias-devices-and-services-unit-unites-windows-phone.
- ↑ "There will never be another Nokia smartphone". The Verge. 3 September 2013. https://www.theverge.com/2013/9/3/4688888/there-will-never-be-another-nokia-smartphone.
- ↑ "Microsoft is killing off Nokia's feature phones in favor of Windows Phone". The Verge. 17 July 2014. https://www.theverge.com/2014/7/17/5912289/microsoft-kills-feature-phones-in-favor-of-windows-phone.
- ↑ "Could we see a return of Nokia's budget-friendly Asha devices?". Android Authority. https://www.androidauthority.com/hmd-global-nokia-asha-trademark-829718/.
- ↑ "EUIPO - Asha trademark". https://euipo.europa.eu/eSearch/#details/trademarks/010335677.
- ↑ Gunther, Cory (2025-10-08). "HMD’s Touch 4G Might Be the Dumbphone You Want" (in en). https://www.howtogeek.com/hmd-touch-4g-is-a-dumb-phone-with-some-smarts/.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 DrNokia @TheOriginal (2026-07-21). HMD ASHA 305 : ASHA PHONE IS BACK!. Retrieved 2026-07-25 – via YouTube.
- ↑ Baloch, Huzefa (2026-07-24). "HMD unveils feature phone with Nokia Lumia-inspired design for ~$69" (in en). https://www.notebookcheck.net/HMD-unveils-feature-phone-with-Nokia-Lumia-inspired-design-for-69.1349847.0.html.
- ↑ Mlot, Stephanie (9 May 2013). "Nokia Unveils $99 Asha 501, New Operating System.". PC Mag. https://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2418736,00.asp.
- ↑ Sharma, Mahesh (9 May 2013). "Nokia launches $99 Asha phone, reveals new OS.". ZDNet. https://www.zdnet.com/article/nokia-launches-99-asha-phone-reveals-new-os/.
- ↑ "Nokia Asha 200". Nokia Developer. Nokia. 2012-04-26. http://www.developer.nokia.com/Devices/Device_specifications/Nokia_Asha_200/.
- ↑ "Nokia Asha 201". Nokia Developer. Nokia. 2013-04-26. http://www.developer.nokia.com/Devices/Device_specifications/Nokia_Asha_201/.
- ↑ Nokia Maps for Series 40 Using Nokia Maps for Series 40
- ↑ Nokia Asha 203 Teknik Özellikleri in Turkish.
- ↑ "Nokia Asha 205 Specifications - Nokia". http://www.microsoft.com/en/mobile/phone/asha205/specifications/.
- ↑ "Nokia Asha 205 complete Detail". Nokia.com. http://www.nokia.com/in-en/products/phone/205-dual-sim/.
- ↑ Nokia (2012-05-27). "Asha 311 - Specifications - Nokia - UK". Nokia. http://www.nokia.com/gb-en/products/phone/311/specifications/.
- ↑ "Asha 501 Dual SIM - Latest Smartphone with 26 days standby time - Nokia - India". Nokia. 2013-05-07. http://www.nokia.com/in-en/phones/phone/asha501-dual-sim/.
- ↑ Ricknäs, Michael (2013-10-22). "Nokia takes on low-cost Androids with trio of Asha phones". Computerworld. http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9243408/Nokia_takes_on_low_cost_Androids_with_trio_of_Asha_phones.
- ↑ Nokia (2012-12-17). "206 Dual SIM phone - Easy Swap Dual SIM Phone - Nokia - India". Nokia. http://www.nokia.com/in-en/phones/phone/206-dual-sim/.
- ↑ Nokia (2013-05-06). "301 - DualSIM Phone with 3.5G faster Internet speed - Nokia - India". Nokia. http://www.nokia.com/in-en/phones/phone/301-dual-sim/.
- ↑ "HMD Touch 4G - Simple Yet Smart: Full Review, Features, and Battery Life - Tech Scico" (in en-US). 2025-10-19. https://techscico.com/hmd-touch-4g-simple-yet-smart-full-review-features-and-battery-life/.
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