HMD Global, the Finnish company that owns the rights to use Nokia's brand on mobile phones, has launched a reinvention of the 3310 in South Africa this week.
The colourful feature phone was originally unveiled at Mobile World Congress, in Barcelona in February.
The iconic cellphone of the early 2000s was known for its durability and long battery life. HMD claims this reinvention will last for 22 hours of talk time and for months on standby. New to the 3310 is a colour screen, camera and microSD card slot.
Fans will be happy to know the company has kept Snake, a game synonymous with the old phone, on the new device.
The device comes in four colours: the original dark blue which will sell for R749 from most retailers, and matte grey, yellow and red which will be available through MTN for R699.
Digital detox
At the time of launch, HMD said the devices were aimed at people in emerging markets, children and adults who want to take a "digital detox".
Adrian Schofield, director and VP of IITPSA (Institute of Information Technology Professionals South Africa) says: ""There is definitely room for feature phones in Africa (and in South Africa). Not everyone is comfortable with smartphones, from the touch screen to the cost of data, they can present usage problems to users who only need phone calls and text messages.
"My wife is such a user - she has tried a number of smartphones and enjoyed WhatsApp but reverted to a feature phone with keys and no data issues. Such phones tend to be easier to carry in a pocket and less vulnerable to damage, too," says Schofiled.
Shaun Durandt, Southern Africa GM of HMD Global, says Nokia has been one of the most recognisable phone brands in the country for decades.
"HMD has received an incredible reception from our partners so far; it seems everyone shares our excitement for this next chapter. Our consumers are more discerning and demanding than ever before and for us they will always come first."
Other than the 3310, three other mid-range smartphones were unveiled by HMD in February: the Nokia 6, Nokia 5 and Nokia 3. All are priced under EUR229 (R3 120). There is no South African release date for these devices yet.
Schofield say: "HMD needs to re-establish the Nokia brand and this device [3310] is sufficiently iconic and low-priced that consumers will buy them for fun, for their kids and grandparents and as backups - until the novelty wears off. By then, the Nokia brand will be more visible and their other handsets will be considered."
Specifications:
System: Dual band 900/1800 MHz
Software platform: Nokia Series 30+
Dimensions: 115.6 x 51.0 x 12.8mm
Weight: 79.6 g
Display: 2.4'' curved window colour QVGA (240*320)
Connectivity: Micro USB, 3.5mm AV connector
Bluetooth: 3.0 with SLAM
Camera: 2Mpxl camera with LED flash
MicroSD: Can support up to 32GB
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