The Top 10 Classic Mobile Phones
Most of us these days are familiar with the big brand name mobiles and can spot an iPhone 6 a mile away. But there are some mobiles that have gone down in history as, quite simply, classics. Whether because they were the first in a line, or just because everyone had one, you're sure to recognise most of these models. Prepare for a little nostalgia, as we give you our list of the top ten classic mobile phones.
1. The Nokia 3310
Nokia 3310
We have to start this list with the absolute classic when it comes to mobiles: the Nokia 3310. Most of us probably owned one (and played a fair few games of Snake as well) at some point. Launched in 2000, the 3310 is one of the most popular mobiles ever released, selling around 126 million hand sets. Part of the reason that this was such a huge seller was that it had a lot of features that were unusual for the time, though we take them for granted today, including a calculator, stop watch and network monitor. Plus, of course, there was the legendary Snake II game included…
2. The Original iPhone
The Original iPhone
It would be remiss of us not to list an iPhone here, and the true classic has to be the original, first generation iPhone launched in 2007. The iPhone really heralded the age of the smart phone, fully touch screen enabled, and so popular that many shops simply ran out of stock within the first hour of selling. Eventually the first generation iPhone sold around six million hand sets, before being discontinued in 2011 when it was replaced by the iPhone 3G. Still, for many people, the original iPhone was the first true smart phone.
3. The Motorola Razr V3
Motorola Razr V3
The Motorola Razr V3 is still the best selling clam shell phone in the world, and sold more than 130 million hand sets before it was discontinued. The thinnest (not to mention coolest) mobile around, the Razr V3 was launched in 2004, and was notable both for its small size as well as the fact that it had not just an inside display, but also an external display, meaning you didn't need to flip your phone open to see who texted you. In 2011 Motorola reclaimed the Razr name with a new line of smart phones, all of which are thin profile in a shout out to the company's most popular mobile hand set: the Razr V3.
4. The Motorola 8000 DynaTAC
Motorola 8000 DynaTAC
For many people, the DynaTAC was the first real mobile phone, what came to be known as a brick phone. Made popular by Michael Douglas's character in the movie Wall Street, the DynaTAC was the must have accessory for many a wannabe investment banker. Heavy and bulky by today's standards, the DynaTAC was released in 1984 and for its time was absolutely revolutionary. Calling and walking down the street at the same time? Before the mid eighties, this was the stuff of science fiction, but the DynaTAC made fantasy into reality.
5. The Samsung Galaxy S
Samsung Galaxy S
Samsung are a household name when it comes to mobile phones these days, and the Galaxy S series has long been topping best seller lists. The original Galaxy S was launched in 2010, and had the fastest graphics processor on the market, was the thinnest mobile around, and was the grand-daddy of the top selling flagship phones like the Galaxy S4 and S5. A 1 GHz processor, four inch screen and 5MP camera don't sound stunning today, but in 2010 these were top end specs.
6. The Nokia 1110
Nokia 1110
The Nokia 1110 has the distinction of being the best selling mobile hand set of all time, selling an incredible 250 million phones. Specs on the 1110 were nothing much, but that was kind of the point. Nokia launched the hand set in 2005 as a budget mobile designed to make mobile phones more accessible to the general market- and given those sales figures the manufacturer certainly succeeded.
7. The BlackBerry 8300 Curve
BlackBerry 8300 Curve
Though BlackBerry had been around for a while before releasing the Curve in 2007, most critics agree that the 8300 Curve series was the epitome of the business phone. The Curve helped put BlackBerry at the top of the business phone market, and for a while there it was tough to be a professional and not have a BlackBerry, with it's awesome messaging and emailing capabilities. The Curve was one of the best selling business phones of all time, and definitely deserves its place on this list.
8. The Nokia 9000 Communicator
Nokia 9000 Communicator
Another Nokia, and this time the legendary 9000 Communicator. With its clam shell design the Communicator looked and functioned like a regular mobile phone when closed, but when opened it became a hand held computer, complete with full QWERTY keyboard and the ability to send and receive emails. Not such a big deal these days, but back in 1996 when it was launched, the Nokia 9000 Communicator was the only way to combine calling, texting and data all in one package.
9. The Motorola StarTAC
Motorola StarTAC
The Motorola StarTAC has two big claims to fame. Firstly, it was the first flip phone in the world, setting a trend that the market followed for the next six or seven years. Secondly, this was the first mobile phone to really gain public adoption, due mainly to an affordable price tag. In 1996 if you had a mobile phone, chances are that it was a StarTAC, and the model eventually sold around 60 million hand sets.
10. The HTC Droid Incredible
HTC Droid Incredible
For its time (way back in 2010) the HTC Droid Incredible was the highest powered mobile around, with huge processing power, a giant touch screen and awesome features. But that's not the only reason that the Droid Incredible is a true classic. This was the first big Android phone, and the first to show that the Android operating system really could compete against the giant of Apple's iOS. Nowadays, Android is the most popular OS around, and we have the Droid Incredible to thank for that.
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