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HMD Global, the company behind the Nokia brand, has announced three new retro-inspired feature phones based on classic designs from the early 2000s to the 2010s.
The Nokia 6310 (2024), Nokia 5310 (2024), and Nokia 230 (2024), are modern takes on handsets from 2001, 2007, and 2015 respectively, and have been upgraded with modern functionality including advanced accessibility features, Bluetooth 5.0, and USB-C charging.
The three phones were unveiled on the HMD website, which provides a full list of features and specs but doesn’t currently include pricing or release dates, although previous re-releases have usually been priced under £100 / $125 / AU$200.
However, don’t expect to play Call of Duty Mobile or scroll Instagram on these phones. While the hardware may be new, the experience is closer to that of the original Nokia phones than the best phones. That means no app stores, limited internet functionality, and only 2G support, which won’t work on newer networks. This could be a problem for users who no longer have access to 2G networks as these are slowly being shut down in some countries.
These types of phones offer a much simpler UI, long standby battery life that’s measured in weeks rather than hours, and a design that harks back to Nokia’s older phones, which some of us grew up with.
Nokia says the more limited features make these phones easier to use and help provide a ‘digital detox’ from things like social media. However, as you’d expect, they have a much less capable camera, no touchscreen, no access to streaming music and video apps, and few of the other features we take for granted on modern phones.
This isn’t the first time HMD has brought back classic Nokia designs. It released updated versions of the Nokia 130 and 150 released last year, and a reimagined 6310, which was released in 2021 and had a smaller battery than its 2024 counterpart and used Micro USB.
Retro specs
All three phones feature similar specs and use some of the same hardware. They have 2.8-inch QVGA IPS displays, and a removable 1,450mAh battery that provides up to 27 days of standby time.
They run on a Unisoc 6531F chip that’s paired with 8MB of RAM and includes 16MB of internal storage, which is expandable up to 32GB via microSD card.
The main differences between the three phones are the design and a few minor hardware changes – for example, the Nokia 230 (2024) has a 2MP camera, while the other two handsets have a very basic 0.3MP rear camera.
The new edition of the 5310 is also equipped with dedicated music playback buttons, as well as dual front-facing speakers for playing music, just like the original. All three phones feature built-in classic apps, like the game Snake, and FM radio.
These 2024 reboots of the Nokia 6310, Nokia 5310, and Nokia 230 could be more of a nostalgia nod to the past rather than a practical phone, appealing to both retro tech enthusiasts and those who grew up with the originals.