If Nokia is to get back into the smartphone market, this is where is begins. According to Executive Vice President of Markets, Nokia, Niklas Savander, the Nokia N8 and pals launched at Nokia World 2010 are the class that’s pushing the Finnish mobile manufacturer back up into top gear.

Symbian may still be the must widely used mobile OS in the world but that doesn’t necessarily make it the best. What’s more there’s some serious competition out there from other mobile makers of the moment. So, exactly which is each of Nokia’s newbies up against and what are they going to have to do in order to succeed?

Nokia N8 - The Superphone

What kind of phone is it?

The N8 is Nokia’s current flagship and its job is to convince the world that Nokia is a brand to go to for a top quality handset.

What’s the competition?

It’s a tough call for the N8 but it’s going to have to go up against the HTC Desires, Samsung Galaxy Ss and iPhone 4s of this world. It’s priced quite appropriately at £420 which is probably about right if it’s going to stand a chance.

What are the good bits?

The Nokia N8 is supposedly the best cameraphone in the world and one would be inclined to take Nokia’s word for it given the company’s track record in this department. It’s got a 12-megapixel sensor, dual Xenon flash, Carl Zeiss optics and a mechanical shutter to boot. There’s also on-demand TV access, an HDMI-out, n-wireless, 16GB of phone memory expandable by microSD and Bluetooth 3.0 thrown in as well. Entertainment-wise, it’s pretty well set.

What are the bad?

Symbian ^3. The screen could be a little bigger and better as well.

Chances of success?

Slim. Nokia has clearly done the business here and the camera might draw in a few people but chances are it’s going to take more than that to tear customers away from either iPhone or Android as things stand. Ovi just can’t compete for apps at the moment and Symbian ^3 doesn’t have that buzz about it. One for the Nokiaphiles and a few for whom iPhone is just too expensive.

Nokia E7 - The Communicator

What kind of phone is it?

Business is the name of the game with the E7 and very much the market Nokia’s aiming squarely at. It’s got a full QWERTY as all of these e-mail centric devices should have and for that reason is just the kind of thing many corporate users will be looking for.

What’s the competition?

Although the iPhone has been creeping in for business use of late, it really has to be RIM that stands in the way of the E7’s sucess and, at a premium 495 Euros, it’s the BlackBerry Bold that’s in Nokia’s sites.

What are the good bits?

The side slideout QWERTY is something BlackBerry doesn’t offer and means more space on the keyboard as well as a far bigger 4-inch touchscreen for getting the full wide on all your docs and spreadsheets. The E7 supports Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync for all the business emailing ease, it’s secure and there’s even a couple of treats in the shape of an 8-megapixel camera on the back and a VGA video calling one on the front. All in all, it also looks rather swish.

What are the bad?

The screen resolution is pretty average at just 640 x 360 pixel and the whole thing is a little on the large side. It also happens to be laiden with Symbian 3 as the OS.

Chances of success?

People love their BlackBerrys. In fact, after Palm, the cult of the BlackBerry is probably the most loyal one out there. It’s going to take a lot for people to want to move away from their phones. At the same time, companies aren’t the fastest moving creatures and might take just too long to make the switch even if they can be bothered to. Is an 8MP camera something a business is willing to move for? On the other hand, given enough momentum, it’s got a decent shot in the consumer space where it could just build up a head of steam based on style and useful social set up.

Nokia C7 - The socialite

What kind of phone is it?

Plenty of high end specs here. Add that in with social integration and a cheaper 335 Euro price tag and you’ve got something to appeal to the younger market and those looking for a free phone on a cheaper contract.

What’s the competition?

 Lots. There’s plenty of good budget Android handsets out there as well as a few bits and pieces from LG and Samsung too. Think along the lines of the HTC Wildfire.

What are the good bits?

Again, it’s the camera that’s the standout feature with an 8MP sensor, Carl Zeiss optics and dual LED flash. The connectivity is as high end as the N8, save the HDMI-out, and the 720p video capture at 25fps will certainly appeal to those who get their hands on it.

What are the bad?

Symbian ^3. Again. It’s not that it’s the world’s worst OS. It isn’t. It’s just that there’s others out there that outshine it for the average user. Other than that, there’s a lot on offer here given the outlay.

Chances of success?

Quite good. The Nokia C7 looks to combine good value with a really impressive feature set for its class. Much of what's here, you’d be quite happy with on a top phone. Plus it’s also got a quality metal chassis. Those who like Nokias, or just don’t fancy Android, will probably have this one in mind come the next upgrade.

Nokia C6 - the “feature phone”

What kind of phone is it?

We say “feature phone” because it’s not really. The Nokia C6 is a smartphone. It’s the little brother of the C7 but, at just 260 Euros SIM-free, it represents that everyone can afford a smartphone these days.

What’s the competition?

You name it. Just about everything out there at the lower end of the market. All feature phones still out there are in its sites but mostly it’s the likes of the LG Pop and the non-Android Sony Ericssons.

What are the good bits?

Same as the C7 - 8MP camera, good video shooting and top notch build.

What are the bad?

Funnily enough, this is probably where the Symbian OS isn’t going to get in the way. At this level, for the moment, the Nokia C6 isn’t up against the body of the Android market. The worst points of this handset are probably the relatively small screen size at 3.2-inches. Considering the price bracket though, that’s quite good.

Chances of success?

Not bad at all. Nokia’s biggest job here is probably convincing a market of die hard “I just want a normal phone” users that smartphones aren’t actually scary. All the same, the C6 will represent a natural enough step for a lot of users looking for a low cost contract.

That's our view, but what's your take on what Nokia has come out with in 2010? Any of it enough to entice you back to where it all began?