1999 is calling, and rather than taking, it is offering, as HMD, the current manufacturer of Nokia phones, is bringing back the iconic Nokia 3210 for the modern audience. Celebrating the 25th anniversary of the phone, it is positioned as a phone designed to do the basics really well.
What that means is a physical keypad with all the buttons for menu functions, a smaller screen that doesn’t take touches, and no way of getting online to check your social media. And yes, consumers will be able to play the classic game, Snake, on their new Nokia 3210, while using the 2-megapixel camera to show off a sharp eye.
However, the device does not solely rely on retro technology. There’s still 4G calling, so you won’t miss out, while the all-new Cloud Apps will combine the news, weather, and YouTube shorts in one convenient place.
“The Nokia 3210, a cultural icon, is back at the pinnacle of the global dumbphone boom as consumers look to balance their screen time usage with a digital detox,” Lars Silberbauer, HMD’s chief marketing officer, said to SCMP. “The Nokia 3210 has simplicity at its core, allowing consumers to be totally present. Forget dumbphone, this is 2024’s fun phone.”
“The original Nokia 3210 has a special place in many consumers’ hearts as one of the best-selling mobile phones of all time. It’s the perfect product to reimagine for the modern era given its strong heritage and iconic design,” added Ben Wood, the founder of the virtual Mobile Phone Museum.
Priced at US$94, it is definitely an item that will hit the sweet spot for those of us who still remember the original fondly, but it won’t be replacing the smartphones of today anytime soon. It could function very well as a secondary device, or even for the kids, although they will take some convincing that buttons are actually useful.
