While China's local handset makers have put all their efforts into grabbing a bigger slice of the smartphone market, international brands including Nokia and Samsung Electronics have strengthened their deployments in the local feature phone sector, according to industry sources.

　　While sales of smartphones have accounted for 80-90% of China's handset market, the market for feature phones will remain but with less competition, offering ample room for handset vendors to develop, indicated the sources.

　　International players also aim to recapture market share by focusing on the sub-US$100 segment before enhancing their presence in the mid-range sector, said the sources.

　　Nokia, in addition to offering models priced below US$50, plans to move into the mid-range segment with its Series 40-based Nokia 515 for some designated markets at US$149, the sources noted.

　　The bar-type Nokia 515 will come with a 2.4-inch QVGA display enhanced by Corning Gorilla Glass 2 cover glass, a 5-megapixel camera and a USB port, supporting 3.5G and one- or dual-SIM cards.

　　Samsung, the leading smartphone as well as mobile phone vendor, still remains a strong contender in the feature phone sector, and is sure to compete neck-and-neck with Nokia in the segment in China, commented the sources.