Nokia's taking a different strategy in the ongoing smartphone wars. While Apple, HTC and other smartphone makers are ramping up their efforts into more memory space, features and apps, Nokia is fighting back with its hidden weapon: an all gold-plated handset.

The Nokia Oro is a Symbian based handset with a Symbian Anna handset. It has a 3.5 inch AMOLED display, 8 megapixel camera with 720p video recording, HSDPA 3G and WiFi capability. This phone is basically like every other smartphone Nokia has recently released except for one glaring difference. The Nokia Oro has 18- carat gold plating and covered with sapphire crystals and leather from Scotland's finest Caledonian herds. It is clearly designed to look pretty. This isn't a phone for techies; this is a phone for rap stars and Donald Trump.

Even Nokia isn't making this smartphone more than it actually is: a luxury item you can whip out to brag to your friends. The Nokia blog clearly states that the Nokia Oro is for users who want their phones to stand out from the crowd and attract attention. Nokia's General Manager for Russia, Gabriel Speratti, said that, "premium products like Nokia Oro have always been best sellers in Russia. We have a large number of users who are looking for products with a build quality and superior materials that attest to their success and social standing. In some areas, possession of such premium products is the passport to being taken seriously."

The Nokia Oro will only have a limited release in countries across Europe, Eastern Europe, China and the Middle East sometime in late 2011. The phone will cost upwards of EUR 800. If you're a Middle Eastern potentate or Russian businessman that cost will probably mean nothing to you. It's all about the image.