A walk down mobile memory lane – Nokia

With the launch of the new Apple iPhone 6 and Apple Watch last month we thought that we’d take a look back at some of the Nokia classics that graced the palms and pockets of millions not all that long ago.
Nokia ruled the roost back in the day and depending on your age they probably manufactured your first mobile phone. They boasted indestructibility, an everlasting battery life, monophonic ringtones and the game that was as addictive as it was frustrating – Snake.
So let’s take a look at some of Nokia’s most popular and craziest mobile phones.
Nokia Cityman (1987)
This was Nokia’s first mobile phone and this sleek stylish brick helped secure Nokia with 15% of the global mobile market.

 
 
Nokia 5110 (1998)
Anyone who was anyone had one of these bad boys. They were almost bomb-proof. Nokia allowed you to get creative too by popping off the front panel to switch-up for a more elaborate version – cue the market stalls. This sturdy gem also had a remarkable battery life. *Charges the smartphones yet again.*

 
Nokia 3210 (1999)
One of the most loved and popular mobile phones to date with over 160 million sold worldwide. It had no external aerial!! This incredible phone ticked so many boxes and the mobile phone was gradually becoming a nice piece of ergonomic design – did I mention it had no external aerial!

 
Nokia 7110 (1999)
“Neo would you like the blue pill or the red pill?” This phone was featured in the film The Matrix. It was also billed as Nokia’s first ‘media phone’, offering a somewhat limited WAP browser to let you receive email. It also featured a clickable wheel for faster scrolling and a spring-loaded keyboard cover – wowzers.

 
Nokia 8210 (1999)
This tiny lightweight phone was a personal favourite, it was compact and weighed just 79g and again allowed you to interchange the cover. This little beauty also allowed you to wirelessly communicate with Printers and PCs.

 
Nokia 6810 (2004)
Nokia got their Sci-fi on with this handset – it would have of been perfectly at home on the Starship Enterprise. The fold out keyboard was a very ‘out there’ design but unfortunately it didn’t really catch on – although it might have got some of the BlackBerry fans hearts fluttering.

 
The Nokia 7280 (2004)
The notorious Nokia fashion line-up. This was one of Nokia’s craziest handsets and asked the question – Who needs a keypad? Why not have a scroll-wheel to select numbers and letters? It took an eternity to write a message – I’m told! This lipstick sized phone also had a mirrored screen, perfect for checking your appearance – terrible for being able to see your screen.

 
Nokia’s incredible rise and fall as the mobile market leader lasted just over a decade before they were bought out by Microsoft for £4.6 Billion.
They were dominant in the market up until 2007 when they still held 49.4% – this has since shrunk to around 3%.
The rise and fall of Nokia is a reminder to move with the times no matter how successful you are. There is always room for improvement and there is always a risk of being left behind.
The most dangerous phrase in language is “We’ve always done it this way.” Grace Hopper