Microsoft to drop Asha brand, but will sell USD 40 phones

The inexpensive Nokia Asha phone range will disappear from the lineup sold by its new owner, Microsoft, but some entry-level handsets selling for under USD 40 will continue to be sold, Microsoft France told 01net. Asha phones, which come with keypads or touchscreens, sell for under EUR 100. The Asha 302, for example, supports 3G and 3G+ networks and sells for under EUR 67. Like the doomed Nokia X, the Asha phones run an operating system based on Nokia's Symbian, Opera, rather than Windows Phone. Nokia X's will continue to be sold for the next few months. It's design will be reused for Windows Phone smartphones, Microsoft France said. The only Nokia phone brand it will keep is Lumia.