Nokia chief executive Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo, seen here in January 2008, has said the Finnish telecommunication giant will release a touch-screen handset for the first time in the second half of this year.

(AFP/Lehtikuva/File/Markku Ulander)

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BARCELONA, Spain (AFP) - Finnish manufacturer Nokia, the world's biggest maker of mobile phones, said Monday it would release a touch-screen handset for the first time in the second half of this year.

Nokia has been late in introducing the technology. Apple has scored a hit with its touch-screen iPhone and Nokia's traditional rivals LG, Samsung, Sony Ericsson and HTC have already used the technology.

Nokia chief executive Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo told a press conference here that the touch-screen phone would appear "in the second half of 2008."

He added that Nokia, which had 40 percent of the world market at the end of 2007, would launch its music download service "Nokia Music Store" in 10 more countries in the next six months. It is currently available only in Britain.

source : yahoo