Nokia Unwraps New N-Series Phones

CIOToday.com reports that Nokia plans to release three new multimedia "phones in its popular N-Series line. The new phones, which will hit store shelves this summer, are designed to do it all, potentially displacing the appeal of standalone digital cameras and even portable-media players like the iPod." The three handsets are the :

• the N93 features a 3.2-megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss lens and video-capture capabilities. Able to record up to 90 minutes of video and connect directly to a TV for full-screen viewing, the device is an upgrade to the N90. The N93 will hit stores in July at price of just under $700.
• the N73, Nokia is hoping to offer a reasonably priced alternative to the traditional point-and-shoot digital camera. The multimedia device includes a 3.2-megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss lens and autofocus capabilities. The N73, which will retail for around $480 when it is available in July, also features integrated stereo speakers.
• the N72 will come in two colors: pearl-pink or glossy-black. Among many other notable features, the device includes a 2-megapixel camera and a built-in FM radio. It will be available in June and priced just below $400.

Nokia also "expanded its software and service offerings to go along with the phones. Services include an interactive online community developed specifically for N93 users who want to share their films on the Internet. All three phones include preloaded software to give shutterbugs the ability to upload photos to Flickr, the online photo-sharing service purchased by Yahoo in 2005."

Charles Golvin at Forrester said , "These N-Series devices are intended to displace other devices that consumers own, like a digital camera, because of the high resolution and lens quality, or a portable-music player because of the greater storage capability."

The key word is intend. Reality will probably be more like supplement/complement rather than replace....