HMD is reviving the Nokia 3210 candybar phone

Human Mobile Devices this week announced the reincarnation of another famous Nokia phone, the 3210. Like the original, the remake uses a candybar design and lacks access to most modern apps. In fact it’s being marketed as a “digital detox,” a way of staying connected to people via calls and texts without the temptations of social media and other distractions. Instead of an OS like Android, it uses an updated version of Nokia’s S30+ platform.

There are some upgrades to match the demands of modern users. The 2024 model has a slicker design with a larger, 2.4-inch QVGA (320×240) color screen, a two-megapixel rear camera with flash, and better connection options including 4G, Bluetooth 5.0, USB-C, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. There’s only 128MB of internal storage, but that can be expanded by as much as 32GB via a microSD slot, which is essential for MP3 playback. There’s an FM tuner if you’re content listening to local radio stations.

The phone also sports dual SIM slots, Nokia’s famous preloaded Snake game, and a 1,450mAh removable battery good for up to 9.8 hours of calling. In some regions — namely Africa, India, the Middle East, and a few Asia-Pacific countries — HMD is offering access to “cloud apps” for things like news, weather, videos, and additional games. One of these is a dedicated YouTube Shorts app.

As for the device itself, there isn’t a comprehensive list of countries and prices, but in the UK it’s available for £75 ($94) — a fraction of the cost of most smartphones. HMD is selling the 3210 in three different retro-themed colors: Scuba Blue, Y2K Gold, and Grunge Black.

A brief history of the Nokia 3210

The original 3210 shipped in 1999, and was notable for a few reasons. It was the first generally affordable cellphone with an internal antenna, helping to keep it compact, and the inclusion of games like Snake made it more attractive to younger buyers — cellphones had mostly been a luxury for professionals so far. Unlike the 2024 model, you could also buy swappable faceplates if you wanted to personalize its look. That helped establish the phone accessory market, which has continued expanding ever since.

HMD was formed from the remnants of Nokia’s original phone business, and has been using that brand association to sell smartphones, tablets, and basic “feature” phones. The 3210 isn’t its first attempt at capitalizing on nostalgia — that honor belongs to a 2017 version of the Nokia 3310. The original 3310, from 2000, was a successor to the 3210, and arguably even more famous. It developed a reputation for being indestructible, one which continues through modern memes. Often this is in contrast with current smartphones, which by their nature use a lot of glass and tend to be fragile if they’re not put in a case.