When the original Nokia 3310 launched in 2000, it became an instant blockbuster. Its battery lasted almost a week. It was considered indestructible. Nokia had sold 126 million units of the device before it was discontinued in 2005. HMD Global, which has the license to make Nokia-branded phones, was well aware that this phone would certainly bring back a wave of nostalgia. The iconic Nokia 3310 is back in a new avatar.
The new 3310 is slimmer, has a colorful design, and a sturdy shell. The device was unveiled at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona. Nokia itself no longer makes phones. Instead, it has licensed the brand to HMD Global. Nokia CEO Rajeev Suri said during a press conference at MWC that the love for the brand was immense. CCS Insight analyst Ben Wood said relaunching 3310 was a “fantastic way” to revive Nokia’s phone brand.
CCS Insight expects Nokia 3310 to sell in large volumes when it hits the store shelves because there is a “massive amount of nostalgia and affection for it.”
Nokia 3310 features and specs
Despite its modern design, the phone sticks to the basics. It’s still a feature phone with limited Internet capabilities. Nokia 3310 offers 2G connectivity and runs the Series 30 software. The phone comes with Opera Mini browser pre-installed for basic Internet browsing.
Gone is the old phone’s monochrome display. The new 3310 features a colorful 2.4-inch screen with 167ppi pixel density. The display is curved and polarized for a better user experience.
The new model boasts of a 2-megapixel rear camera and a LED flash. There is no front camera for selfies. In terms of design, it is slimmer and lighter than the original model. The new 3310 weights 79.6g compared to the old version’s 133g. It still has a plastic body. But it now comes in red, yellow, blue, and gray color options.
The phone has a 16MB internal storage expandable up to 32GB using a microSD card slot. Nokia said the phone would be available in both single and dual-SIM variants. Other features include an MP3 player and FM radio.
Its battery offers a month of standby time
The biggest highlight of the new Nokia 3310 is its battery life. It comes with a 1200mAh battery pack. HMD Global claims the 3310 offers 22 hours of talk time and up to 31 days of standby time. It will power though up to 39 hours of FM radio playback and 51 hours of MP3 playback. The phone’s long battery life could help position it as a backup for smartphone users.
Of course, you won’t be wasting time and battery on Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat and WhatsApp. It doesn’t mean Nokia 3310 doesn’t have anything to waste time on.
The Snake game is back
During my teenage years, I used to play the Snake game for hours on my dad’s Nokia 3310. HMD Global has reintroduced the Snake in a multicolored design and a 2D format. For those who don’t know, Snake was the “Angry Birds” of its era. HMD Global said people can now play the game in Facebook Messenger.
Nokia 3310 price and release date
HMD Global’s chief marketing officer Pekka Rantala told media that when the company executives went to distributors for a price survey, the distributors mentioned significantly higher prices. But the company wanted to sell it at “sustainable” prices. The Nokia 3310 has been priced at 49 euros ($51).
The 3310 along with other Nokia-branded Android phones announced at MWC would go on sale in the second quarter of this year in India, Asia-Pacific, Middle-East, Europe, and Africa.
A backup phone and digital detox
Experts believe that the new 3310’s incredibly long battery life could make it a backup phone of choice for smartphone users. Most smartphones run out of battery in less than a day. HMD Global CEO Arto Nummela has also been trying to position it as a “digital detox or a holiday phone.”
If you want to switch off to some extent, but you still want to be able to talk, text, and listen to the music, Nokia 3310 is a “brilliant solution.” It’s affordable, so people may “just buy it as an accessory.”
Forrester Research analyst Thomas Husson said the revamped Nokia 3310 has all the ingredients of a successful device. It would appeal to the younger consumer base in emerging markets, while appealing to hardcore Nokia fans in developed countries.
