As the mobile phone industry continues to benefit from rapid advancements in technology and the range of functions and applications maintains its steady rate of expansion, owners of mid-range handsets could soon enjoy many of the specifications previously exclusive to smartphone users.

JBC, writing for the Nokia Conversations blog, admits that while mid-range devices may not offer state-of-the-art abilities, they are improving as smartphones push the bar higher.

The blogger states: "Sure, they might not boast all the features and functionality of top-end devices, but they’re bringing a wider range of apps and services to a much bigger group of people. And for that, mid-range classics, we salute you."

JBC goes on to nominate three Nokia classics as perfect mid-range mobile phones.

The first of these is the Nokia 6700 Classic – which is described as being particularly strong in the categories of value for money and flexibility.

Its understated design means it is unlikely to date quickly, while a metal finish adds toughness – making it an ideal long-term solution.

Secondly, JBC suggests the Nokia 5310 XpressMusic – its first venture in to the world of music-based handsets.

Due to the vast file capacity of smartphones, it has fallen in to the mid-range market, but could still be perfect for music fans searching for an affordable handset.

Finally, the Nokia 5230 is the firm’s cheapest touchscreen device and has "the look of a classic" – making it a smart mid-range option.

Nokia last week announced the re-release of its classic 6303i model.

Mobile phone users could soon be protected by three new design innovations which aim to tackle the issue of handset theft.

The Mobile Phone Security Challenge – run by the Home Office Design and Technology Alliance with the Design Council – has come up with the trio of devices to make it more difficult for mobiles to be taken.

Home Office minister Alan Campbell said: "I believe the solutions developed by this challenge have the potential to be as successful as previous innovations like Chip and Pin."

First up is the i-migo – a small item which can be carried around and sounds an alarm should a handset leave a set range.

Whether through theft or loss, if an owner moves too far from their device they will be instantly made aware.

The i-migo also offers a backup system of all important data stored on a mobile through a Bluetooth chip.

Secondly, the designers have come up with a ‘tie solution’ – where a handset and SIM card are tagged together and cannot be used without the other.

This could help to drive down the potential for thieves to take a mobile phone and use it with their own SIM.

Finally, the Home Office project created the TouchSafe device, aimed at users who wish to use their mobile phone to make payments, in much the same way as the Oyster Card.

Joe McGeehan, a member of the alliance, asserted: "With the rapid growth in mobile phone usage, and particularly the smart phone, more and more people are carrying sensitive information on their handsets thereby increasing their vulnerability to identity theft

Last year security experts Credant Technologies warned UK mobile users that they were complacent about phone safety and stored too much sensitive data on their handsets.

A refined, updated version of Nokia’s 6303i Classic mobile phone has been released by the company.

According to Mike, a blogger writing for Nokia Conversations, the model "ushers in a few improvements" when compared with the traditional design, including those in the battery and messaging departments.

"The 6303i classic now comes [with] enhanced battery talents, enabling you to make up to eight hours of calls. It’s also capable of letting you listen to around 30 hours of music via its built-in music player and FM radio," he writes.

Refinement is an area of mobile innovation that some telecommunications companies could do more to explore, as it offers an effective way of developing handsets.

The Nokia 6303i Classic is a top example of this done well, the blogger states.

Other features of the new 6303i include an extended range of communications tools which support instant messaging programmes.

Owners of the Nokia device will also be afforded the luxury of using a 3.2-megapixel camera which is designed for "easily sharing your snaps online".

The Nokia 6303i Classic is due to be available for shipping from the firm’s headquarters during this quarter.

Nokia has recently been enjoying strong sales figures and financial success – with the firm announcing this week that its N97 model was one of the "top performers" responsible for this.

The company’s market share rose from 35 per cent to 40 per cent and the total number of sales also increased during the final quarter of 2009, Mike revealed in an earlier blog.

Nokia’s N97 mobile phone was one of the "top performers" responsible for positive figures in Nokia’s financial results for the final quarter of 2009.

The telecommunications firm reported recently that it had released double the amount of touchscreen devices in the three-month period than it had done in the previous quarter – resulting in its market share rising from 35 per cent to 40 per cent.

And according to Mike, a blogger writing for the Nokia Conversations website, it was the N97 which led the way.

He goes on to ponder whether the rapid rate of expansion and increase in popularity of touchscreen smartphones means that any future handsets will require the technology just to stand a chance of being successful.

If this is true – and touchscreen has become so invaluable that it must be used on all new releases – then one of the reasons could be because of its ability to allow a phone "to play the role of chameleon", Mike says.

Mike suggests that touchscreen is behind a handset’s capability to switch its layout and design to suit the task it is being asked to perform.

Or, in the case of the Nokia N97, kinetic scrolling suits the web browser offered.

Debating what else could be behind the popularity of touchscreen, the blogger asks: "Could it be as much about design and aesthetics as functionality, because surely a clean slab of glass is more attractive than a key-filled fascia?"

Owners of the N97 were advised last year that their phone would be compatible with the official game for the movie Avatar.