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A new version of the classic Nokia 3310 mobile phone will launch in Australia in October, complete with a customisable retro interface, an MP3 player and of course a version of the classic mobile game Snake.
The homage to the legendary early-2000s brick phone was originally announced early this year by HMD Global, the Finnish company behind the recent spate of Nokia-branded phones, but its 2G GSM connectivity made it ill-suited for countries like Australia that had begun decommissioning older mobile infrastructure.
Nokia's iconic 3310 makes a comeback
Nokia brings back the classic 3310 phone and introduces four new smartphones at the World Mobile Congress in Barcelona.
At an event in Sydney on Thursday, HMD revealed that the throwback feature phone had been fitted with 3G capabilities for Australia, and will launch in mid-October for $89.95.
"Our reimagining of the Nokia 3310 has been a global and cultural phenomenon", said HMD's chief product officer Juho Sarvikas in a release.
"In a world dominated by smartphones, the mix of nostalgia and a beautiful phone that just keeps going has captured people's imagination. Our fans around the world have been asking for this iconic phone to support 3G. Fans asked, we listened, and today welcome the Nokia 3310 3G".
The phone features a 1200mAh battery that HMD says will let it last for 27 days in standby, 6.5 hours of continuous phone calls or around 40 hours of MP3 playback. It also has a 2.4-inch colour screen beneath a curved window for better visibility in sunlight, a 2MP camera, an LED torch, FM radio, Bluetooth and support for microSD cards up to 32GB.
The move to 3G means the phone doesn't quite have the longevity of the 2G version HMD announced in February, which could last for 22 hours of talk time, but the upside will be better connectivity. Now that it doesn't have to rely on ancient internet services like GPRS and EDGE, the 3310 3G should offer a basic but competent internet browsing experience through its built-in Opera Mini app.
The resurrected 3310 looks like it will be perfect as a second phone to take to festivals or other players that can be dangerous for a $1000 slab of glass and aluminium. It will also no doubt find a home with those who prefer texting with a numerical pad to swiping around touchscreens. However it remains to be seen whether the new 3310, like its near-unbreakable namesake, is built to withstand a decade and a half of punishment and keep working.