Fond of calling their smartphones ‘multimedia computers’ instead of mere cell phones, Nokia are still the market leader despite competitors’ success with slim flip phone and candy car models. Now Nokia is striking back with thinner new models that take the fight back to the competition to try and ensure that Nokia continues to rule the roost.

But Nokia have not stood still. They launched their ‘N’ series of multimedia phones, or multimedia computers as Nokia prefer to call them. The N80 integrated a 4Gb 1-inch hard drive, giving Nokia their very own ‘iPod phone’. The N73 brought a 3.2 megapixel digital camera to the range while the N93 not only brought a 3.2 megapixel Carl Zeiss lens with autofocus and 3x optical zoom, but ‘DVD-like’ video recording at 640x480 resolution.

There was also the Internet Tablet 770, Nokia’s first Linux powered handheld ‘slate’ or mini Tablet style PC that let you surf the Internet but not make phone calls.

Now Nokia is launching the N93i, a slimmer version of the N93 that doesn’t appear to be a 3G video phone in the US, the N76, a 13.7mm thin flip phone to compete with the RAZR, and the N800, an update to the 770, which is still an Internet tablet without GSM cell phone capability, but with planned compatibility with Skype it will have access to telephony if you’re in range of a wireless 802.11 b/g network.

The N93i is slimmer than the n93 at 25mm instead of 28.2. It will be available for EUR €600 or around US $780 in the first quarter of 2007, and an optional pack will include a 1Gb Mini-SD card capable of storing 45 minutes of video or 1250 3.2 megapixel photos.

The N76 will come with a music player and 2 megapixel camera for EUR €390 or around US $511 and is due in the same timeframe. It is capable of working on both GSM/GPRS/EDGE and CDMA networks.

The N800 will retail for EUR €399 and US $399, and is available now.

Nokia are also due to launch the N95 in early 2007, a 5 megapixel phone with Carl Zeiss autofocus lens, the ability to record 640x480 DVD-like video, has an mp3 player built-in with a standard 3.5mm headphone socket, a turn-by-turn GPS mapping system and more.

Nokia has big challenges ahead of them this year, with Sony having great success with their Walkman branded mp3/video playing phones, the potential of an imminent iPod phone, more challenges from Microsoft, Samsung, Blackberry and Motorola. Leadership of the mobile market may well be up for grabs this year, but Nokia are certainly not standing still.
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