Back to the Basics: Nokia 3310

One of the most talked about devices at the Mobile World Congress this year was the new Nokia 3310. Usually its the premium handsets which capture the limelight but this year it was a $50 feature phone that managed to create a buzz and had everyone talking about it on different social media platforms. So, how is it that a ‘basic‘ mobile phone managed to overshadow flagship smartphones like LG G6, Sony Xperia XZ Premium and Huawei P10 Plus? Was it simply nostalgia of days past or was it the features that did the work? Let’s explore about one of the most ‘buzz worthy’ devices right now.

Design and Durability

One of the thing that people remember about Nokia 3310 is that it was ‘indestructible’. The screen and the design was so sturdy that even with repeated falls it remained intact. If it slipped from your hand, you didn’t have to worry about breaking its screen unlike with do with our smartphones. Even though Nokia 3310 wasn’t water proof, it didn’t die. The simple solution to all this was, take the battery out and let both the mobile and the battery dry out completely and you were good to go. I still remember putting my mobile phone out to dry in the sunlight.

With the ‘modern’ Nokia 3310 the team at HMD Global has worked on similar lines. The mobile phone is lighter than before but follows the same ‘durable’ design philosophy. The new Nokia 3310 is 12.8mm thick and weighs 79.6g as compared to 22mm thick and 133g.

Colorful Display & Camera

The new Nokia 3310 has a colorful 320 x 240 display which is quite different from the 84 x 84 monochrome display. Given that it was quite a while ago that mobile phones made the transition from the monochrome displays to the colorful ones, going back to the monochrome display didn’t seem quite ‘Modern’. The device runs the simple Nokia Series 30+ but it is more than adequate for basic tasks which this device was quite good at.

In addition the new Nokia 3310 also comes with a 2MP camera that also adds to another addition that has been made which complements the colorful display. One would be thinking why a 2MP camera? Given that the classic Nokia didn’t have one, this is right up the mark as far as how things go. Nokia 3310 does not boast to be the ‘next’ big thing, it is just a basic device which is staying true to its roots.

Amazing Battery Life

Along with the design durability, one of the things that people remember about the classic Nokia 3310 is the amazing battery life. Well one charge could go for more than a week, you could literally just forget about charging it. One charge with normal talk time could last till two weeks. Well the new Nokia 3310 even goes beyond that and provides and astounding battery time. It offers 22 hours of talk time with a single full charge and can last up to 31 days in the standby mode. Well this is something that none of the smartphones these days can boast about. Along with that the battery is removable. We can see this as one of selling factors for this device.

New Snake

The classic Nokia came with the popular Snake game. Well how could the company forget about such a feature. The new Nokia 3310 offers a new and improved Snake game too which is called Snake Xenzia. The latest version has been developed by Gameloft. In the new game has a series of levels and different maps along with the classic survival mode. The snake will have to eat the apples that appear on the map and then there will be different power ups too. Do catch that scissor, as it cuts the length of your snake. The new colorful display adds a vibrant effect to the game and you just want to go on playing without worrying about the game leeching the battery life.

Peachy Price

So, with all of this and more, what does Nokia 3310 cost. The ‘basic’ new Nokia 3310 will cost only $50, and along with the battery life this is going to be its second selling point. Along with that we are loving the new vibrant color range Red, Yellow, Blue and Black, expect this device to sell like hot cakes.

The best thing about the new modern Nokia 3310 is that it does not pretend to be something that it is  not which is a full feature smartphone, it is a basic modern feature phone which offers users both convenience and function at a very affordable price point. With the mobile tech moving and evolving at an unprecedented rate it is good to see the ‘basic’ feature phone make a comeback. Sometime simplicity is the way to go as we can see in the case of Nokia 3310.