ESPOO, Finland -- Nokia recently concluded the pilot phase of its pioneering Life Tools service in Maharashtra, India, and the results show that subscribers are reaping the benefits. Extensive feedback from actual subscribers revealed that the service had wide appeal, and connected with subscribers at both emotional and functional levels.

Nokia Life Tools will launch commercially India-wide in the first half of 2009. The service will be enabled in the Nokia 2320 and Nokia 2323, which will soon begin shipping, and on more devices to be announced later in the year.

"The creation of Nokia Life Tools is from the ground up: it is built by a team that immersed itself in the rural conditions and did extensive research to understand how people led their lives, the kinds of services they were currently receiving, and what they wanted to see as changes or improvements," said D Shivakumar, Vice President and General Manager, Nokia India. "The results from the pilot in Maharashtra are testimony that Nokia still plays a very relevant role in people's lives - connecting them in new and better ways through devices that they continue to love, and services that help them improve their lives."

Nokia Corp. (NYSE: NOK)