Nokia’s flagship phone, the N96, is not taking the market by storm as had been hoped by the handset manufacturer, retail staff reveal.

The most common criticism that staff in high street stores hear from customers is that the N96 is too similar to the N95. According to a Vodafone saleswoman, customers are bringing back the phones saying they would rather stick to their old N95s.

T-Mobile shops have heard similar feedback. ‘People say it looks too much like the N95, the only difference is that it has more memory,’ a T-Mobile saleswoman said.

According to sales staff, the price of the handset is also a problem. One Carphone salesman said: ‘The deals are not great ... as soon as the deals get better they’ll fly.’

‘The cost is outrageous,’ the T-Mobile saleswoman agreed. The handset is sold for £49.99 on a £40 per month tariff at the operator, while Carphone offers it free on a £35 per month tariff on O2 and Orange.