Nokia 3310

Nokia 3310. It is a GSM feature phone manufactured by the Finnish telecommunications company Nokia, first announced on September 1, 2000. Launched as a successor to the popular Nokia 3210, it became one of the best-selling mobile phones of all time, renowned for its exceptional durability, long battery life, and iconic design. Its widespread popularity and distinctive characteristics have cemented its status as a cultural icon of the early 2000s.

History and release

The device was unveiled by Nokia during a period of rapid global expansion for the mobile phone industry. It entered the market in the fourth quarter of 2000, following the commercial triumph of its predecessor, the Nokia 3210. The launch was strategically timed to capitalize on the growing consumer demand for reliable and user-friendly personal communication devices across Europe, Asia, and other key markets. Production of the original model continued until 2005, during which time it achieved massive sales figures, estimated to be well over 100 million units worldwide, solidifying Nokia's dominance in the handset market during that era.

Design and features

The device featured a distinctive monoblock form factor with a customizable Xpress-on cover system, allowing users to change its colored faceplates. Its interface was built around a monochrome liquid-crystal display and a robust physical keypad, designed for tactile feedback and ease of use. Notable features included the immensely popular game Snake II, a calculator, a stopwatch, and predictive text input technology. It was particularly celebrated for its rugged construction, with numerous anecdotal reports of it surviving extreme conditions, and its impressive battery life, which could last for days on a single charge, setting a benchmark for reliability.

Cultural impact and legacy

The product quickly transcended its role as a mere communication tool to become a pervasive symbol of early-21st-century popular culture. Its reputation for near-indestructibility spawned a vast array of internet memes and online folklore, often humorously exaggerating its durability. It is frequently referenced in contemporary media, including television series, films, and music, as a nostalgic emblem of a pre-smartphone era. This enduring cultural footprint has influenced modern discussions about product longevity and consumer electronics design, often contrasted with the perceived fragility of contemporary devices like the iPhone.

Technical specifications

The unit operated on the GSM 900/1800 MHz frequency bands, which were the standard for much of the world at the time of its release. It was powered by a single lithium-ion battery (model BLB-2) that provided extensive standby and talk time. The display was a 84 x 48 pixel monochrome LCD, sufficient for displaying text and simple graphics like those in Snake II. Its internal memory was limited, capable of storing a phonebook of up to 100 entries and a limited number of text messages. The device lacked advanced features like a camera, Bluetooth, or internet connectivity, which later became standard on phones from companies like Samsung and Sony Ericsson.

Variants and successors

Several direct variants were released, including the Nokia 3330, which added a WAP browser for basic internet access. The official successor within the Nokia 3000 series was the Nokia 3410, which introduced color themes and more games. In 2017, HMD Global, the company licensing the Nokia brand for phones, released a modern reinterpretation featuring a color screen, a basic camera, and 3G connectivity, while paying homage to the original's iconic form. Other notable related models from the same prolific era include the Nokia 3315, the Nokia 3350, and the business-oriented Nokia 6310.

Category:Nokia mobile phones Category:Mobile phones introduced in 2000 Category:Feature phones