Nokia 3310 Rings a Comeback; Find Out Other ‘Vintage’ Phones for Simplistic Consumers
While many tech geeks cannot wait for the launch of the upcoming iPhone 6 or the Samsung Galaxy Note 4, some users are willing to pay a load of cash for something "old" and "not so popular," just like the vintage Nokia 3310 handset that is selling in the mobile market for as high as $1500 per piece.
Back in April 2010, the Nokia 3310 was on the spotlight after reportedly receiving a 41-megapixel makeover to sport a powerful camera just like the popular Nokia Lumia 1520. While the news had been proven a hoax for the April Fools' Day, Nokia's definition of "indestructible" gadget is still hit topic, considering that the 3310 model has been a continual subject of Internet memes. The Microsoft-owned company, on the other-hand is still bringing Nokia 3310's legacy of sturdiness in its own online marketing campaigns. [See Youtube Video Below]
The Nokia 3310 model along Motorola StarTec 130 are sought after gadgets in the e-commerce Web site Vintagemobile.fr according to its founder Djassem Haddad. Among the best-sellers of the Web site is the Nokia 8210 which costs at about $90.
From costly to cheap devices, Vintage Mobile has something to offer for its prospect buyers. Upon checking on the Web site as of this writing, various phones in different price range are offered, and some are models that can be truly considered as collectibles.
"Some people don't blink at the prices, we have models at more than 1,000 euros. The high prices are due to the difficulty in finding those models, which were limited editions in their time," says Haddad in a report by AFP.
The smartphone market is rising in sales and many mobile users prefer to own a flagship device; however, Haddad points out that many consumers are still looking for simpler and cheap phones. He shares that his Web site already sold more or less 10,000 handsets for the past three years.
There are no existing reports whether Nokia will offer the 3310 model again for the global market despite its newfound popularity. Though it is not an impossibility, it may not likely happen due to Microsoft's acquisition of the Finnish manufacturer. It is a common knowledge that Microsoft is promoting its Windows software in Nokia's Lumia series, and awakening 3310s "old grandeur" is simply out of the line.
[Watch Promo Video of Nokia Windows Devices]