HispanicBusiness

Nokia is pinning its hopes on its new mass-market Windows Phone 8 handset pipeline to revive its smartphone market share in Thailand.

The Finnish mobile maker has selected Thailand as one of 14 countries in which it will focus on the smartphone segment thanks to the proliferation of internet-connected devices in the country.

Nontawan Sindhavananda, head of marketing at Nokia Thailand, said the introduction of the new mass phone model, the Lumia 620, priced at 8,250 baht, is the company's latest bid to regain market share in Thailand's booming smartphone market.

She acknowledged that struggling Nokia and BlackBerry looks set to face intense competition in the first quarter.

"Both Nokia and BlackBerry will have one last chance to come back into the market," said Ms Nontawan.

Research in Motion's BlackBerry plans to launch its new BlackBerry 10 smartphones in Thailand by March.

Samsung is also preparing to roll out its first Windows phone, the Ativ S, in the Thai market this month.

Ms Nontawan is tipped to succeed Grant McBeath as managing director of Nokia Thailand next month.

Mr McBeath stepped down from the position in December. If appointed, Ms Nontawan will become the first Thai female head of Nokia Thailand.

She said Nokia will this year focus on mid-tier smartphones priced between 8,000 and 12,000 baht, a high growth area.

The company's primary target market is customers aged 16-29.

She said overall, this year will see more than 6 million smartphones will be imported into Thailand.

In terms of volume, smartphones priced below 10,000 baht will account for most of the ones sold, said Ms Nontawan.

But in terms of value, smartphones priced more than 20,000 baht will account for a 40% market share.

Nokia sold 15.9 million smartphones in last year's fourth quarter.

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Distributed by MCT Information Services