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Mar. 31, 2009

AT and T says it will soon launch a new line of smartphones. The new mobile devices are expected in AT&T stores and on the company's website in the coming weeks.

The wireless giant debuted the Nokia E-71x and the Samsung Propel Pro. Additionally, the Samsung Impression, the Samsung Magnet, the LG Xenon and the LG Neon expand the number of full-keyboard mobile phones in AT&T's lineup to actually 7.

Overall, Nokia has done very well with its smartphones globally, but somehow, it hasn’t managed to take a top spot in the U.S. Roger Entner, senior v.p. of communications sector for Nielsen, said he thinks Nokia has lost some market share simply because it has traditionally been slow to release its products in the U.S.

The Nokia E-71x is of particular interest because the world’s largest mobile phone maker has not had a strong U.S. smartphone presence. The E-71x will be available in the coming weeks for $99.99 with a two-year contract and features a black steel finish.

Nokia's E-71 model has been available in Europe for some time now, but the the handset is exclusive to AT&T and was specifically tailored to meet its own needs, with additions like AT&T navigator and music services.

The E71x also runs on a more recent version of the S-60 mobile platform.

Unless something drastic happens, wireless carriers in the U.S. will be inclined to go with device makers that work with them, Entner said. “They’ll continue to go with the guys."

He added "I think that in the end, Nokia makes great devices and then launches them 6 months late in the U.S. And I don’t think it’s poor marketing in general, it’s just that the U.S. mobile carriers very often feel like they’re getting the warmed over stuff from six months ago. They would like to have it at the same time as the rest of the world, I can assure you.”

An Avian Securities research note is now predicting that the Nokia E-71x will be a solid No. Three at AT&T, right behind the iPhone and all of BlackBerry's smartphone franchises.

Market analysts noted that the E-71x is an important milestone for Nokia as it works with leading North American mobile carriers to get its higher-end smartphones onto carriers’ shelves at subsidized prices.

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Source: AT&T.