Nokia (NOK) announced in Shanghai the grand opening of the first Nokia Flagship Store in Mainland China, the only standalone Nokia Flagship Store and the largest in the world.

The Nokia Shanghai Flagship Store is the seventh of 18 planned Flagship Stores and is the second in the region following the opening of the premier Asia Pacific Flagship Store in Hong Kong.

As Colin Giles, president of Nokia China, explains, "The Nokia Shanghai Flagship store embodies Nokia's commitment to putting the customer first by providing consumers the opportunity to experience the most dynamic and exciting mobile technology in the world"

All of the products on display are connected to the store's network, and thus linked to a selection of relevant Nokia accessories such as wireless speakers, headsets, and printers. Consumers can enjoy a complete mobile experience with applications such as navigation, e-mail, music, games, and weather forecasts, among others. The multimedia displays even allow consumers to send text messages to consumers shopping at other Nokia Flagship Store locations around the world.

"The China market has become the leading global market in terms of scale and maturity, and we believe that the Nokia Shanghai Flagship store will become popular among Chinese consumers," said Giles. "The store will elevate our retail services to a new level and strengthen Nokia's leading position in China."