Will the upgraded version of the classic Nokia 3310 be a hit?
From Wednesday 24th May 2017, fans will be able to get their hands on the brand new version of the phone that dominated the early noughties.
It will be available from a number of retailers and operators including Carphone Warehouse and Vodafone and will set you back £49.99 (originally cost was £129.99).
Those of you who were there the first time around will no doubt have fond memories of the Nokia 3310. For many, it was one of their first mobile phones, relied upon for its robustness, long battery life and of course, the Snake game.
From the early noughties to now, mobile phones have come a long way and the generation who remember the Nokia 3310 have mostly graduated to smartphones. This generation are not all now pushing Zimmer frames or unable to operate ‘modern’ technology, so will they welcome back the new version of this classic?
Do we want to go back to the days when all you could do with a mobile phone was make calls, do a few texts and play some games?
Is there a market that will welcome back such simplicity with open arms and relief?
According to Carphone Warehouse, the demand for the retro phone has been “astonishing”, and record numbers have signed up to get their hands on the new Nokia 3310.
Carphone Warehouse are one company who have opened pre-ordering of the new Nokia and is said to have seen an “unprecedented level of demand”.
Andrew Wilson, UK director of buying at Carphone Warehouse, said: “There has been an astonishing groundswell of interest in the Nokia 3310 following the launch announcement of this re-imagined classic.”
Is nostalgia enough to sustain this comeback though? Let’s take a look at the features of this re-vamped version compared with the original.
The new Nokia 3310 weighs in at 79.6g compared with the 133g of the original version and unlike the original, the new version comes with a 2MP camera.
Other features include:
- Bluetooth
- 22 hour talk time
- One month of standby time
- Snake (an updated version)
- Text messaging
- 1.5inch colour screen
- 2.5G network
- Four colour options – Warm Red, Yellow, Dark Blue and Grey
Despite having an upgraded colour screen, it won’t be high-resolution and will have nothing like the capabilities of the modern smartphone.
The new Nokia 3310 has, as its advantage, an affordable price tag. It’s robust and the long battery life will come as a refreshing change for those brought up in the smartphone society. The question is, who will it appeal to?
Not everyone wants to pay monthly data costs, particularly the older generation, who just want a phone and don’t need the extras a smartphone offers.
Then there are the parents wanting to buy their younger children a phone, but without the expense of a smartphone with a monthly contract. The funky design and colour options should appeal to the younger end of the market.
The biggest market for the updated 3310 is sure to be the collectors, with nostalgia playing a big part. Being such a well-loved phone, it is often the subject of memes and nostalgic images. However, whether the build quality matches the original remains to be seen.
Since the early days of the 3310, Nokia has attempted to keep up with the wave of new smartphones, but without much success. Making newer versions of its old phones has been more profitable for Finnish company, HMD Global, the new home of Nokia phones.
Juho Sarvikas, Chief Product Officer of HMD Global, said:
“Nokia phones stir real emotions; people know them for their beautiful design and craftsmanship, together with a built-to-last quality that you can rely on. Our new portfolio combines these classic Nokia hallmarks with a best-in-class Android performance and a new level of craftsmanship. For the Nokia 3310 we just couldn’t resist. We wanted to reward loyal Nokia phone fans and make a statement that rich heritage, innovation and modern design can go hand-in-hand. Fundamentally, it is about making sure that right across our portfolio we are delivering this pure Nokia experience.”
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