Nokia 3310 is one of those phones that’s a legend in itself. Now a report by Venture Beat’s Evan Blass says the HMD Global and Nokia could bring back this phone in a ‘modern’ avatar. The phone, first introduced in 2000, is set to make a comeback at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2017 in Barcelona.
The device is expected to sell for €59 (or approx Rs 4173), and could redefine how we view feature phones today. Much before the iPhone came into picture, Nokia ruled the mobile phone market – and one device that truly established its formidable position was Nokia 3310. The phone was popular for many reasons.
The device featured the ability to compose text messages beyond the SMS character limit, an 84 x 48 pixel monochrome screen, screen savers, a calculator, and games like Snake II. It could even store seven custom ringtones. That’s not all, Nokia 3310 allowed users to replace the front and back covers to make the phone more personal than ever.
Now that might not sound like a lot in today’s world with 32GB storage becoming standard, but in the year 2000 these capabilities made it a great phone. Plus the Nokia 3310 was known for its durability and the ability to survive in extreme conditions. It was an absolute beast and also featured a long battery that could last 55 hours on standby.
So if Nokia 3310 makes a return, who will buy it? In a market like India, feature phones still sell more than smartphones as recent numbers from IDC showed. The feature phone is still the preferred device for many, and smartphones prices haven’t really come down as drastically, according to the research firm.
HMD Global has already said it will be targeting the emerging markets like India, Brazil, and many Sub-Saharan Africans countries with the release of the Nokia 3310.
The former mobile leader has released some of the best-selling phones of all time. Here’s a look at the top five iconic Nokia phones over the years.