Microsoft today unveiled a cheap, internet-enabled Nokia phone that it hopes will help it increase its market share in Asia, the Middle East and Africa.

The phone costs $29 (£19) and comes with the Opera Mini Browser and Facebook Messenger built in, and can run Twitter and other apps. Despite that, it is mostly a low-spec phone — with a 320 x 240 pixel display, a 0.3 megapixel camera, a radio and a torch as its headline features.

But that is likely to help it pick up buyers in the budget market, especially in developing countries. And the lack of hi-tech features mean that it is a robust phone, built to be durable and with a battery that Microsoft says can last up to 29 days on standby.

The software is also built for more difficult terrains, and the built-in apps can work without a 3G connection.

And the torch might sound like a minor addition, but Microsoft points out that it will be useful in the markets that it hopes the phone will be shipping into — such as the 20% of the world that don’t have regular access to electricity.

Microsoft announced the phone as its “most affordable internet-ready entry-level phone yet”, saying that it would be “perfectly suited for first-time mobile phone buyers or as a secondary phone for just about anyone”.

Nokia's greatest hits: indestructible and inimitable Show all 8 1 /8 Nokia's greatest hits: indestructible and inimitable Nokia's greatest hits: indestructible and inimitable Nokia 5110 (1998) Targeted at the business market, the 5110 was one of the first handsets to feature the classic game Snake Nokia's greatest hits: indestructible and inimitable Nokia 6810 (2004) Flipping this phone into gear might have looked like you were getting to grips with a butterfly knife, but the 6810 offered a full QWERTY keyboard in a candybar format. Nokia's greatest hits: indestructible and inimitable Nokia N95 (2007) It was the most powerful smartphone when it was released, with a sliding keyboard, GPS, 5-megapixel camera , FM Radio, Bluetooth, Mp3 player and fully-functional 3G web browser. This still has respectable specs even in 2014. Nokia's greatest hits: indestructible and inimitable Nokia 3310 (2000) Along with its 1999 predecessor the Nokia 3210, the 3310 is one of the best-selling phones of all time. It came with a range of tools including stop watch and calculator and - more importantly - had three games: Pairs II, Space Impact, Bantumi and Snake II. It also allowed texting to really take off by allowing for texts three times longer than standard. Nokia's greatest hits: indestructible and inimitable Nokia 1110 (2005) The best selling phone of all time - even Apple doesn't come close - shifted an estimated 250 million units worldwide. Cheap, easy to use, nearly bullet-proof and battery for weeks. What's not to like? Nokia's greatest hits: indestructible and inimitable Nokia 8810 (1998) Notable for its mostly-chrome construction, the 8810 had a whip-smart slider and was the first mobile to come with an internal antenna. Nokia's greatest hits: indestructible and inimitable Nokia N-Gage (2002 More often found in the rogues' gallery than a best-of list, the N-Gage was Nokia's attempt to make a combined mobile and handheld game console. It, um, failed - badly. Partly because the old 'jack of all trade, master of none' adage is pretty relevant in tech, and also because you had to hold it side on to your head to use it as a phone. Nokia's greatest hits: indestructible and inimitable Nokia 7600 (2004) Nokia's weird years make even the hardiest rebel look like a milquetoast. The 7600 was an appeal to the fashionable youth who understandably turned their nose up at it being young - not unhinged.