Nokia 3310 Hands On: The Iconic Feature Phone Returns

BY Rajesh Pandey

Published 3 Mar 2017

Nokia 3310

Nokia made its grand comeback at MWC this year with the launch of not one, but three Android smartphones: the Nokia 3, Nokia 5, and Nokia 6. However, the fourth handset launched by the company that managed to steal the thunder not only from its own phones but also from every other phone launched at MWC was the Nokia 3310.

HMD Global, the company that will be selling phones under Nokia’s brand name, likely decided to relaunch the Nokia 3310 to cash in on the nostalgia and garner media attention. However, barring the name, not much is similar between the new Nokia 3310 and the one that was launched almost two decades ago.

Made from plastic, the new Nokia 3310 does not exude that same indestructible feeling like its predecessor. Instead, it feels plasticky and it remains to be seen if this handset turns out to be as indestructible as the original.

To keep up with the times, the new Nokia 3310 now features a 2.2-inch color display and runs on Symbian S30. The Java-based operating system comes with its own app store that is provided by Opera. It also features opera web browser for browsing purposes. There is also a 2MP camera at the rear with a LED flash. The display and camera are strictly okay, with the panel being protected by a 2.5D curved plastic that is likely prone to scratches.

To further cash in on the nostalgia, the new 3310 also comes with the iconic Snake game. This time around, though, the game has been developed by Gameloft and looks nothing like the original, with the controls being the only thing that is common between the two games.

Since the Nokia 3310 will be predominantly sold in emerging markets, the handset now also comes with a dual-SIM card slot and a microSD card slot which can be accessed by removing the battery. However, just like the original 3310, the new Nokia 3310 only supports 2.5G networks, with no support for 3G or 4G networks. This means that the handset will not work in the United States, and in India, the device will be incompatible with Reliance Jio’s network.

Nokia has also increased the battery capacity on the new 3310 by over 5x times to ensure the handset provides great battery life. The official numbers from Nokia claim that the 3310 offers up to 22 hours of talktime and up to 30 days of standby time. Considering that this is a feature phone that only supports 2.5G networks, the 3310 should easily last a week on a full charge with basic calling and texting.


The new Nokia 3310 is nothing like the original handset. Yet, it managed to attract the most number of eyeballs at MWC this year — more than the likes of LG G6 and Huawei P10 could garner. This also justifies the reason why Nokia is relaunching the 3310. HMD Global and Nokia are essentially trying to garner consumer interest and ensure that consumers know that Nokia is back in the smartphone market once again.

Are you excited about Nokia relaunching the 3310? Do you think you will be buying one? Or are you just interested in checking one out for pure nostalgia?