Nokia today announced the Nokia 603, a colourful, affordable, no compromise smartphone preloaded with the latest apps and featuring single-tap pairing, sharing and tag reading with NFC. Alongside the Nokia 603, the daringly-designed Nokia Luna Bluetooth Headset completes the NFC-enabled easy pairing experience in an affordable package.

The Nokia 603 is designed to appeal to first time smartphone users and those upgrading from older products, particularly existing users of Nokia smartphones who will welcome a device that offers all the latest technology and features in a package that is still uniquely Nokia.

his latest smartphone exemplifies Nokia’s belief that affordability should not compromise the quality of the experience. The Nokia 603 offers a seamless, compact design that makes the most of the durable 3.5 inch ClearBlack, scratch-resistant display, optimized for use in sunlight. Exceeding expectations for its EUR 200 price-tag*, the Nokia 603 comes preloaded with Maps, the latest social networking games and apps, and the ability to capture, edit and share photographs, all with great graphics performance thanks to the fast graphics processor in the device. The Nokia 603 also makes NFC innovation accessible to more people with the ability to share content, pair with accessories like the Nokia Luna Bluetooth Headset, and unlock new experiences, such as unseen levels on Angry Birds.

“The Nokia 603 continues the renewal of our smartphone range with products that are uniquely matched to the needs of people around the world,” said Tuula Rytila, Senior Vice President, Nokia. “Whatever the price-point, our aim is to ensure all Nokia smartphones are crafted for use, have Nokia’s trusted quality, are better connected, and contain unexpected surprises like the ability to tap to pair and share with NFC.”

Featuring the latest Symbian Belle software, the Nokia 603 also benefits from up to six customizable homescreens and dynamic live widgets for improved personalization and prioritization of your favourite content.

Continuing to extend Nokia’s range of innovative accessories, the Nokia Luna Bluetooth Headset is a uniquely designed in-ear device with NFC pairing capabilities. Available in a range of colours, the headset features a pop-out earpiece for up to eight hours of extended talk time and easy charging with any Nokia microUSB phone charger. Nokia’s exclusive Always Ready technology enables you to answer calls simply by popping out the earpiece, and end calls by placing the earpiece back in its cradle. At only EUR 69*, the Nokia Luna Bluetooth Headset is perfectly priced to accompany the Nokia 603, bringing NFC pairing opportunities to more people around the world.

The Nokia 603 is available in black and white with a choice of back covers in six different colors: black, white, fuchsia, green, yellow and blue. The Nokia Luna Bluetooth Headset is available in black, white, fuchsia, green and cyan. Both products are expected to start shipping in the fourth quarter of 2011.