Samsung South Africa has just launched a new line of locally available low-cost feature phones.

These low-cost, low-spec handsets are intended to help Samsung fill a gap in the marketplace “…for cost effective feature phones that go beyond merely standard feature phone functionality and that allow consumers to connect with their friends and family through social networking and IP messaging”, according to Samsung SA’s Director of Mobile Communications Craige Fleischer.

There are three handsets in the lineup, all of which are variations of the basic model. The base handset, the Samsung Pusha, is extremely basic with a 1.52″ TFT display, MP3 ringtones and an 800m Ah battery being the major features. The Pusha FM adds an FM radio to the base model while the Pusha 2SIM, like the recently release Chief Hero from Samsung, ups the features a little with dual-SIM functionality, a larger battery, 1.8″ TFT display, FM radio, MP3 and microSD support characterising this handset.

The Pusha, Pusha FM and Pusha 2SIM will be retailing for R139, R169 and R299 respectively. Fleischer said “There is a perception that low-cost mobile phones are not reliable. Samsung is proud to say that our Pusha range of mobile phones is not only cost-effective, but it is also ultra-durable – and with great battery life the Samsung Pusha range is certainly designed with the South African consumer in mind.”