Nokia Sets to Re-launch the Most Loved 3310 Phone Model

Is Nokia bringing back the popular 3310 phone model? Reports suggest the much-loved retro device could be re-released this month at the Mobile World Congress event in Barcelona.

As the world’s largest smartphones manufacturers uses the annual Mobile World Congress event to unveil the latest innovations in technology, new reports have emerged of the return and launch of the classic Nokia 3310 at the upcoming event. According to a multiple reports, sources from the Finnish company with exclusive rights to make phones under the Nokia name, claim the company will launch a “modern version” of 3310 at the MWC in Barcelona this month.

HMD Global Oy is tipped to be announcing a total of four new phones, including a revamped $80 version of the retro handset from the early 2000s. In addition to its near-indestructible build, the legendary brickphone’s relatively small 900mAh battery was able to last 55 hours on standby, something modern smartphones struggle to rival. When released, the 3310 introduced vibration, an extended SMS character limit, screen savers and other features taken for granted on today’s devices. The popular phone also included four new pre-installed games, including the highly-popular Snake II. Similar to its predecessor, the 3310 allowed users to chop and change the design of the phone, with both the front and rear covers interchangeable. Besides the already revealed Nokia 6 available only in China, HMD is tipped to be announcing two other mid-range devices powered by Android 7.0 Nougat.

The Australian availability of all four Nokia devices is yet to be announced, but there is no doubt the 3310 would sell based on nostalgic appeal alone.

 

HMD would just have to make them compatible with modern day SIM cards, the 4G network and modern messaging standards all without losing the durability and battery life that made the original so appealing.

 

The phone which was originally released in 2000 which in many ways was the beginning the modern age of mobiles, will be sold as a way of getting lots of battery life in a nearly indestructible body.

 

The new incarnation of the old 3310 will be sold for just €59 (about N23,000), and so likely be pitched as a reliable second phone to people who fondly remember it the first time around.