Nokia 3210

The Nokia 3210 is a GSM cell phone, announced by Nokia at the CeBIT fair on March 18, 1999, alongside the Nokia 7110.<ref name="Nokia-PR-1999-03-18" /> Succeeding the Nokia 5110, the 3210 handset was competitively priced and targeted specifically at teenagers and young professionals, adding a number of capabilities such as T9 predictive text.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> It was notably the first consumer-grade mobile phone without a protruding external antenna.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

History

The 3210 was designed by Alastair Curtis at Nokia's Los Angeles Design Center.<ref name="Curtis" /> The development was led by Frank Nuovo, who had designed the sleek and curvy Nokia 8110 in 1996. The team aimed to create an "expressive" and customizable handset that went beyond the typical business-oriented mobile phone market, drawing inspiration from the Casio G-Shock and Sony Walkman designs. As a result, the phone became highly influential.<ref name="Oremus" />

Design

The Nokia 3210 has a total weight of 151 g. The handset measures 123.8 × 50.5 × 22.5 mm and features customizable fascias that clip on. It was thinner than previous Nokia models.Template:Citation needed

It was the first mass market phone with an internal antenna, a feature that had been introduced by Nokia on the luxury phone Nokia 8810 in 1998.<ref name="Mobile Phone Museum" />

Features

Three games came preinstalled: Snake, Memory (pairs-memory game), and Rotation. The inclusion of these games contributed to high sales within a rapidly expanding youth market. Some versions of the 3210 included the "hidden" games React and Logic, which could be activated by special software using a data cable.

The 3210 was the first device to come preloaded with Nokia's Composer software, allowing users to manually "compose" monotone ringtones. It was also possible to send ringtones to another Nokia phone.

Picture messages sent via the SMS texting service were implemented on the handset, enabling users to send preinstalled pictures to one another. These included a "Happy Birthday" picture, among others.

The 3210 was originally designed with a vibrate alert function. However, Nokia decided not to implement this feature on some handsets in certain jurisdictions. A few months after its UK release, some mobile phone repair shops offered customers an upgrade to the vibrate function for a small fee.Template:Original research inline

Handset specifications

• Standby time (h): 55–260
• Talk time (min): 180–270
• Charge time (h): 4
• Ringtone composer
• Dual band: Yes
• Vibrating alert (optional)
• Speed dialing
• 3 games: Yes (note some models, like 3310)
• Internal antenna
• Green backlight
• Interchangeable fascias

Reception

A combination of cutting-edge features, such as internal antennas and T9 text entry, ensured the 3210's huge commercial success. Much of the phone's success can also be attributed to an advertising campaign aimed predominantly at young people, a first in the mobile phone industry. The inclusion of three games, changeable "Xpress-on" covers (as seen on the previous Nokia 5110), an internal antenna, customizable ringtones, and competitive prices contributed to the handset's massive popularity among those aged 15–25.Template:Citation needed

With 160 million units sold,<ref name="Telegraph" /><ref name="Walker" /> the 3210 is one of the most popular and successful phones in history. It is considered one of the most significant handsets Nokia ever developed.<ref name="Wired" />

Revival

{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} In 2024, HMD Global released a new phone inspired by the Nokia 3210 as part of the Nokia Originals line.<ref name="HMD" />

See also

• Nokia 3110
• Nokia 3310