Nokia launches 8800 Arte and 8800 Sapphire Arte

Two new high-end models aimed at the discerning

13 November 2007 10:00 GMT / By Amy-Mae Elliott

Nokia has unveiled two special editions of its 8800 phone, describing them as "a premium pair of handsets aimed at the most discerning and style-conscious consumers".

The new Nokia 8800 Arte and Nokia 8800 Sapphire Arte bring 3G capabilities to the Nokia 8800 series and feature "high-end" metal and glass composition.

Offering the same slide mechanism as previous incarnations, the Nokia 8800 Sapphire Arte has a polished steel case with a genuine sapphire gem stone and an "accent" of soft leather, that Nokia says creates a "rich, sensual feel".

Both phones offer an analogue clock display that appears when users tap the steel surface below the display, and a "turn-to-mute" feature that lets silence their phone by turning it over, screen-side down.

Other features include a 2-inch QVGA 240 x 320 pixels, OLED display with up to 16 million colors, a 3.2-megapixel auto focus camera with 8x digital zoom and a 1GB built-in memory.

Each handset comes with an assortment of mobile accessories including the Nokia BH-803 Bluetooth headset, a leather pouch with a linen-lining and a separate matching desk stand.

The Nokia 8800 Arte will start shipping in the fourth quarter of 2007 with an estimated retail price of 1000 euros, plus tax, the Nokia 8800 Sapphire Arte will follow in the first quarter of 2008 and retail for approximately 1150 euros, plus tax.