Nokia 3310

Nokia 3310
Nokia Corporation · Public domain · source
Name	Nokia 3310
Manufacturer	Nokia
Released	2000
Discontinued	2005
Successor	Nokia 3310 (2017)
Form	Candybar
Weight	133 g
Display	84 × 48 pixels, monochrome
Os	Series 30
Input	Physical keypad
Battery	900 mAh removable

Nokia 3310 The Nokia 3310 is a mobile phone model introduced by Nokia in 2000. It achieved wide distribution across markets including Europe, Asia, and North America, becoming noted for durability, battery life, and popular applications. The device is frequently referenced in discussions of early 21st-century consumer electronics, mobile telephony, and popular culture.

History

The device was launched by Nokia during a period of rapid expansion in the mobile phone market alongside contemporaries such as devices from Motorola, Ericsson, and Siemens. Development occurred amid corporate milestones for Nokia that included structural shifts in its corporate strategy and collaborations with suppliers like Texas Instruments and manufacturers in Finland, China, and Hungary. The 3310 succeeded models like the Nokia 3210 and followed earlier work by designers associated with projects for the Nokia Communicator series and teams influenced by standards from the European Telecommunications Standards Institute. Its release coincided with the growth of networks managed by operators such as Vodafone, Orange S.A., and T-Mobile. Over its commercial lifecycle the handset became part of debates in media outlets including BBC, The Guardian, and The New York Times about consumer technology trends, handset longevity, and the transition to feature-rich devices like those from BlackBerry Limited and later Apple Inc..

Design and Hardware

The 3310 used a candybar form factor with a plastic enclosure produced by suppliers under contract with Nokia. Its enclosure and user interface were informed by industrial design traditions seen in products by firms such as Frog Design (whose earlier work influenced mobile aesthetics) and design narratives similar to those associated with the IDEO studio. Internally, the phone employed baseband processors comparable to chips from Philips or Texas Instruments, a monochrome LCD similar to displays used in devices from Panasonic and a removable battery architecture common to contemporaries like the Motorola StarTAC. The keypad used tactile dome-switch technology supplied by component firms servicing Nokia's supply chain in Europe and Asia. The battery life, often cited in reviews by outlets like CNET and Wired, contributed to the model's reputation, while robustness was examined in comparisons alongside ruggedized handsets from brands such as Caterpillar Inc. and Kyocera.

Software and Features

Software on the device ran on the proprietary Series 30 platform developed by Nokia engineers and supported embedded applications including an address book, calculator, and calendar akin to software features in contemporaneous devices from Sony Ericsson and Samsung Electronics. The handset included the game Snake II, a version that became culturally iconic and was discussed in technology sections of publications like The Washington Post and Le Monde. Messaging supported SMS protocols used by networks like GSM operators, and customization options allowed for monophonic ringtones and downloadable graphics via channels used by carriers such as Nokia Services and content providers who later evolved into firms like Zynga (in broader mobile gaming contexts). Third-party software ecosystems were nascent; nonetheless, the 3310's feature set paralleled firmware practices seen in consumer electronics from companies like Panasonic and Philips.

Variants and Re-releases

During its commercial run, Nokia produced regional variants and slight hardware revisions similar to practices used for models in the Nokia 3000 series. Manufacturing sites included fabs in Hungary and plants in China, and models were adapted to regulatory regimes in markets overseen by bodies such as the Federal Communications Commission and the European Commission. In 2017, a modernized re-release was produced by HMD Global under license from Nokia Corporation; this later product adopted contemporary features while referencing the original's aesthetic. The model’s lineage and derivative releases were examined in retrospectives by media organizations including Bloomberg, Reuters, and The Verge.

Sales, Reception, and Cultural Impact

Commercially, the handset was reported among Nokia's best-selling models during the early 2000s and featured in sales analyses by firms such as Gartner, Inc. and IDC. Reviewers in outlets like PC Magazine and Time highlighted battery endurance and resilience, while critics contrasted its limited internet capabilities with emerging smartphones from Palm, Inc. and later Apple Inc.'s iPhone. The phone became a cultural icon referenced in television programs produced by studios like BBC Television and in advertising assessed by agencies monitoring trends across the advertising industry. It appeared in collections and museum exhibits alongside artifacts from companies such as IBM and Siemens, and inspired academic discussion in journals covering consumer technology and media studies at institutions including Harvard University and Stanford University. Its longevity in popular memory led to appearances in films and music videos and to commentary in social media platforms originally founded by entrepreneurs linked to firms like Facebook and Twitter.

Category:Mobile phones