Nokia launches Asha 210, a WhatsApp phone that features a full QWERTY keyboard

While some say that the feature phone is dead, Nokia feels that there is still a strong market for a budget phone with a keyboard. This morning Nokia unveiled the Asha 210, a feature phone based around social media and the popular WhatsApp messenger.

Sporting full QWERTY keyboard and a dedicated WhatsApp button, the Asha 210 is being billed as "the most social Asha yet." The phone is based around Twitter and Facebook and gives users quick and easy access to WhatsApp. Owners of the device do get WhatsApp free of charge, which ends up saving about $1 per year.

Nokia says that the new Asha 210 will offer about 45 days of battery life on the single SIM version and about half that on the dual SIM model. The company expects to launch the Asha into the retail market in June at a pricing point of just $72.

How do you feel about feature phones? Is there still a demand for semi-smart phones?