Retro: Nokia 8310

Launched 2001
10th December 2008

Probably one of the cutest handsets ever made, the Nokia 8310 was launched in 2001 at roughly the same time as the Nokia 6310. But the key thing with this phone was that it was an 8000-series device, and as today that indicates an expensive and very desirable mobile phone.

What the Nokia 8310 had going for it was its relatively small size at just 97 x 43 x 19mm and 84 grams in weight. Contemporary phones (such as the 6310) were significantly bigger and heavier. It was not just size that set the 8310 apart, it also had interchangeable translucent covers and special lighting effects that marked it out as a high-fashion item.

At launch, the 8310 was very expensive - coming in at the equivalent of €600 or £400 for a SIM-free phone. Even for 2001, the 8310's specifications were a bit basic, with an 84 x 48 pixel monochrome display, no Bluetooth or camera and only monophonic ringtones.. although the 8310 was a very early phone to feature a built-in FM radio, voice commands and predictive text messaging. It was also one of the first phones to come with GPRS, although exactly what you were meant to do with it on such a basic handset is unclear.

The striking physical design gave the phone plenty of "wow factor", and the 8310 was notable enough to be a newsworthy handset, and it was even seen in movies and TV shows as a suitably impressive accessory.

The Nokia 8310 is quite a collectable phone today - a good reconditioned handset can cost €100 or so. Strangely, Nokia never really came up with a follow-up to the 8310 - a high end ultra-compact version of this would be interesting to see seven years after the original. Perhaps it is time that Nokia came up with something worthy to succeed it?