Tech
Nokia cashes in on early cell nostalgia with new 6310 brick phone
A battery that lasts weeks and it doesn't have a Twitter app? Count us in.
Way back in 2001 — when the iPhone wasn’t even a twinkle in Apple’s eye, the company having just released its first iPod — Nokia ruled the cell phone game. Many of Nokia’s most popular phones had a brick-like form factor that turned streamlined, grey business functionality into an iconic early-2000s aesthetic.
Flash forward two decades and the brick phone is essentially obsolete unless you happen to be shopping for a prepaid burner phone. But early-2000s nostalgia is very much in right now, so Nokia has gone ahead and done what we would’ve once considered unimaginable. It’s relaunched the 6310.
The new 6310 is recognizable as a direct successor to the original model — that indestructible body is alive and well — but it’s been updated with plenty of modern tweaks. It can still go weeks without a charge, though, and, yes, it comes pre-programmed with Snake.
Modern brick — The general vibe of the new 6310 is reminiscent of the original but with a contemporary twist. The new brick is is much smoother than its predecessor and comes in three cute colors, for example.
The phone is generally pretty low-tech for 2021. The display is still small at 2.8 inches, though that’s still a full inch larger than the original 6310’s (and the new one is full color). The rear camera is rated at 0.3 megapixels; internal storage is limited to 8 megabytes. Lol.
Don’t expect too much on the software side of things, either. You’re not going to be able to answer emails or browse Instagram on this thing. What it does include is the classic Snake game from the original 6310, as well as an FM tuner — something not even the latest iPhone has in its arsenal.
A nostalgic burnout solution — Nokia is really pushing the new 6310’s complete and utter lack of smartphone goodies as the top reason to buy it. It’s meant to be the phone that allows you to stay available for calls and texts while disconnecting from the rest of the world. That’s something most smartphone companies have to create specialized software for.
After watching other early-2000s phone companies utterly fail at relaunching their iconic devices as modern amenities (cough, Razr, cough), Nokia’s streamlined modernization approach here is much appreciated. There are no bells and whistles other than a pixel-based game and a radio tuner. In return, you might finally find some peace away from the internet.