Nokia has a reputation for indestructible phones, but for a phone to be heavy duty to that extent, a fragile glass screen isn’t always an option. The Nokia 3310 4G isn’t intended to be a competitor to high-end luxury flagships, but rather serves as a hybrid device – a combination of basic phone with some elevated features.
The Nokia 3310 4G
HMD Global has seen some good success after their recent acquisition of the Nokia brand. However, expecting to compete with established flagship producers like Samsung and Apple is a bit of a tall order for a company that has fallen behind in technology. Nokia had some pretty durable phones back in the day, and HMD Global hopes to capitalize on the brand’s reputation for reliable and affordable phones with the Nokia 3310.
The original Nokia 3310 in its time was a far cry from a smartphone. With 3G and even 4G technology becoming the standard for mobile networks, it’s clear that the Nokia 3310 needed a revamp to keep up with the times. The Nokia 3310 4G is about ready to launch, and the phone will ship with more than a simple update to support 4G technology.
Back in September, a 3G-enabled Nokia 3310 was released, and soon we’ll see the 4G version. Accompanying this new technology is that the new operating system is YunOS. Previous versions of the phone ran on HMD’s proprietary Feature OS – which admittedly was a little lackluster when compared to modern operating systems. YunOS is developed by Alibaba and is an offshoot of the Android Open Source project. Long story short, the Nokia 3310 will truly be an Android phone.
Outside of the upgrade to 4G capabilities and the fact that the phone will be running an Android operating system, we don’t know very much about the upcoming Nokia 3310. However, HMD Global has an opportunity on their hands to capture than non-insignificant portion of the market that is looking for an affordable and reliable phone – albeit without all the bells and whistles we’ve come to expect from flagships.
The move to Android is particularly significant, and could mean that we’ll see more smart features with the phone. Provided the specifications of the Nokia 3310 are up to snuff, we could see support for popular apps. Running off of YunOS and being based off of Android may give the phone access to the Google Play Store, which has a huge amount of apps that provide added convenience to the new phone.
By updating the operating system to an Android-based system, HMD Global is giving Nokia users a path towards modern convenience while still retaining the accessibility and nostalgic design that Nokia users desire.
However, despite the affordability and utility of the Nokia 3310, there are some questions to whether the reduced price is enough of a draw to warrant giving up some basic smartphone features. While the original Nokia phones were massively successful, technology has come a long way since that point and the market has gotten used to a selection of phones that offer more than just a basic handset.
What Can We Expect?
Photos of the upcoming Nokia 3310 were obtained from TENNA, and seem to indicate that the design won’t be a major departure from previous version.
Window had the rights to the Nokia brand for quite some time, but didn’t do much with it. HMD Global recently acquired the company, and has quickly set out on a path to re-establish Nokia as a modern brand that offers something unique to consumers.
Like many smartphone manufacturers, HMD Global is offering phones at varying price points and with varying capabilities. With the Nokia 6 offering an impressive amount of power at an affordable price, and now the Nokia 3310 4G updating the typical “dumb phone” to a modern operating system with expanded capabilities, the company seems dedicated to bringing Nokia back into the limelight.
What exactly the future has in store for HMD Global and the Nokia brand remains to be seen, but nostalgia can only drive sales so far. The Nokia 3310 4G is a unique product in a sea of smartphones that have traded durability and basic utility for fancy new features. There’s no doubt that there’s a market for high-end flagships, and the majority of the people are becoming more and more reliant on a phone that can act as a pocket-sized computer, but for those of us who need a phone that just plain “works,” The Nokia 3310 4G is an attractive option with a rapidly approaching release.
The Nokia 3310 4G is expected to debut next month, launching alongside the Nokia 6 in early 2018.
Image source: Tenaa