Nokia announced the latest device in its low-cost Asha family, the headline feature of which is that it is “the world’s first phone to have a dedicated WhatsApp button”.

The Asha 210 also includes a QWERTY keypad, and will be available in single and dual-SIM versions. It is clearly aimed at cost-conscious customers in emerging markets, which is reflected in its specification: it is 2G only, has a 2.4-inch non-touch screen, and a 2 megapixel camera.

In a statement, Timo Toikkanen, EVP of Mobile Phones at Nokia, said: “It has been designed to allow people to easily update their social networks, stay in touch with friends and share user created content.”

WhatsApp services will be free-of-charge for users of the device.

Nokia’s mass market devices were the low point in the company’s most recent results, as the company has faced tough competition from low-cost device makers.

It has promised a “freshening” of the Asha line in order to counter this.

Asha 210 is expected to ship in the second quarter of 2013, at a cost of around $72. Target markets were not revealed.