The smartphone features a more intuitive user interface that allows the use of swipe for both picking calls and closing apps, as well as smarter internet that compresses data, saving on internet costs.
The device - available in red, black and yellow - will retail at KSh8,000 in Kenya, TZS180,000 in Tanzania and UGX280,000 in Uganda (approx. US$94).
According to general manager for Nokia East Africa Bruce Howe the device builds momentum for Asha smartphones in the region.
“The new Nokia Asha 501 helps people quickly access everything they love with just a simple swipe. Coupled with beautiful design, it’s a smartphone with style and innovation, offered at a great price. It builds on the momentum for Asha smartphones in East Africa, and our continued commitment to provide affordable, yet striking, smartphones for the youth,” he said.
The Nokia Asha 501 has a distinctive colour and design and comes with a durable, removable shell and a scratch resistant tempered glass display.
It also allows users to unlock and close apps by a simple swipe and has a second screen that displays the recent activity of the phone in a feature called Fastlane.
“We are especially excited about the availability of HERE Maps for the Asha 501. For East African consumers, HERE offers the most accurate, up-to-date and comprehensive maps and navigation services available in the local market, further enhancing the great user experience of the Nokia Asha 501,” Howe said.
The Nokia Asha 501 was officially launched in Thailand, Pakistan and India earlier in the year, with the company saying the device brings both substance and style.