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There’s something incredibly satisfying about the way phones were designed back in the early 2000s. Whether it’s the nostalgic effect for all of us 90s babies, the plethora of buttons, or perhaps the fact that you never feared dropping them down a flight of 500 stairs, those little (sometimes not-so-little) devices sure made our childhoods more interesting. 

So let’s use a metaphorical time machine to look back on some intriguing designs that make us look at our reflective touch-sensitive blocks of technology with a sense of disdain, with us asking, “Where did it all go so wrong?” 

If you’re curious to learn more about modern-vintage (not sure if that’s a category, but it should be!) phones, make sure to check out this Bored Panda article right here. Don’t forget to vote for your favorites, dearest Pandarandas, and let’s get this phone rolling! 

#1

My Grandma Gave Me This Old Phone Today As A Housewarming Gift. It Quacks When It Rings. I Was Terrified Of It When I Was A Child, So That’s Why She Gave It To Me

My Grandma Gave Me This Old Phone Today As A Housewarming Gift. It Quacks When It Rings. I Was Terrified Of It When I Was A Child, So That’s Why She Gave It To Me

Cas_PFantasy Report

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Nancy Bourque
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We have an Elvis phone. Elvis is about 7” tall, dressed in a shiny gold suit holding a microphone. He sings and gyrates to “you ain’t nothing but a hound dog”

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Who doesn’t like a little bit of nostalgia to hit just right, both in the pain and pleasure departments of the soul. You’ll definitely want to sell yours to see the return of these intricate and fascinating phone designs, making you feel as though you’re living inside one of those indie sci-fi films. 

In the most basic sense, mobile phones allow us to keep in touch with others, whether we’re on the go, or just splayed out on the couch rewatching the same episode of Friends over and over again because it acts as therapy. It’s not therapy, Stephanie, go get some professional help! 

#2

Found My Old Cell Phone With Optional Clip On Chatboard For Easier Texting

Found My Old Cell Phone With Optional Clip On Chatboard For Easier Texting

ontbijtkoek Report

If we’re to have a slight history lesson, mobile phones have been in development since the late 60s and throughout the 70s, but they were too bulky to be considered truly portable. Whilst Motorola dominated the early mobile phone landscape, Finnish company Nokia joined the mobile phone evolution, coming into prominence in the early 1990s.

We’re all aware of the iconic Nokia 3310. It may have looked closer to a brick than a mobile phone, but if you built a house or a chapel out of that model, it would live through wars, floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, volcano eruptions—everything. Nothing destroys the Nokia 3310. It will exist longer than the Sun and our known universe. 

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#4

Motorola Flipout Mb511

Motorola Flipout Mb511

techformative557 Report

#5

Simens SK65

Simens SK65

proedross Report

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ola_n avatar
Headless Roach
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When you're expecting an important call, but you have an exorcism to perform at noon.

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#6

Siemens Xelibri 8

Siemens Xelibri 8

oldcellphone Report

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Lupita Nyong'heaux
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

i wish they had shown a picture of it opened or whatever you have to do to it to make a call. it's really pretty, like a beautiful necklace and definitely not that thing zara was talkin about of which i have absolutely no knowledge whatsoever, so help me cthulhu.

naschi avatar
Na Schi
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Had this one when it was fancy. It doesn't open at all!!! Everything had to be managed with the circular 5 buttons, you see in the pictures... don't ask me how and why I've ever thought it was great to have 😶‍🌫️

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O.M.Miki
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

bullet phone hahha ring ring - " hey arnt you gonna answer that" "Neh trust me I need to let it ring a bit more"

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The models that we see here today were mainly released from 1998–2000, introducing the market to seemingly never-ending customization. From ringtones to shapes to color schemes, to the way they opened and twisted and turned, phones became somewhat of a fashion accessory and a way to express your personality. 

Although they were incredibly complex in appearance, they were capable of fulfilling only the most basic of tasks, compared with the capabilities of mobile phones today. With Apple, Samsung, and Huawei dominating the market, we’ve seen the emergence of the plain rectangular black mirror, which can hardly be compared to the simpler, yet iconic and personable devices of the past. 

#7

Nokia 7600

Nokia 7600

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#9

Motorola Aura A Premium Phone

Motorola Aura A Premium Phone

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As shared on NokiaMob.net, some believe that smartphones have reached the peak of usability. “Usability is something that drives design creativity, and nowadays we only use phones to soak our minds in the wonders of the modern information-driven world, thus the design becomes irrelevant,” they argued. 

We all tend to buy phones that are usable, durable, and have good battery life, and as we’re all just buying protective covers to protect our precious belongings anyways, is there really a need for more design innovation? As Adam Conway, an Irish technology fanatic, stated, “Innovation is fun, but innovation leads to products that aren’t good enough for everyone.”

 It all boils down to the fine dance of balancing functionality with design, as well as market competition. Design should complement functionality, not contrast it, and although our heads may turn to the next shiny thing on the shelf, the way it works will be the element that keeps us coming back for more. 

As Ferdinand Porsche put it, “Design must be functional, and functionality must be translated into visual aesthetics.” Lisa Maltby, an illustrative designer, explained that any product must solve the user’s problems and make their lives easier; thus, creatives should combine functionality and fun in the most effective way possible. 

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To put it simply—if I can’t use it, I don’t want it. What’s the point of having a triangular phone if I can’t fit it in my back pocket? What’s the point of having a flip phone if the screen is indenting in the middle, making it look messy? What’s the point of my phone being run by an AI that can read my mind and tell me how useless I already know I am? 

#13

I Finally Got An Xperia Pureness

I Finally Got An Xperia Pureness

DayOlderBread16 Report

#14

The Nokia 3650. First Phone With A Video Camera. It Helped Establish Symbian Os In The Consumer Market

The Nokia 3650. First Phone With A Video Camera. It Helped Establish Symbian Os In The Consumer Market

_ITX_ Report

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LeeAnne B
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Is this the one that loaded the pic one line at a time? These old phones are almost indestructible.

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#15

This Old Jaguar Still Has Its Car Phone

This Old Jaguar Still Has Its Car Phone

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LeeAnne B
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When I was a little chickie, I thought you had to basically be Scrooge McDuck rich to have a phone in your car.

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The lack of production diversity says a lot about the market itself. Consumers want to be comfortable with their purchases. Would you really want to invest in something utterly different that hasn’t been seen before? It’s been done a couple of times in the past, with big innovators joining the game, yet until another genius comes forth, we’re stuck with the reflective magic rectangle. 

As you continue this voyage into the nostalgic, dear Pandas, make sure to continue upvoting your favorites. At the end of it all, leave your opinions and thoughts below: did we have it better in the past or is the present pretty neat as well? 

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Have a great one and happy scrolling!

#16

2003 Nokia 6810. An Unbelievable 71 Individual Buttons On A Handset This Size

2003 Nokia 6810. An Unbelievable 71 Individual Buttons On A Handset This Size

solid_state_vintage Report

#18

Samsung Sph-N270

Samsung Sph-N270

HaoieZ Report

#19

My Beautiful Motorola V50. In The Dark Gray Color, Which I Think Looks Best. Great Phone, Very Small, Compact, Has Great Range, And It Still Works On 2g Networks

My Beautiful Motorola V50. In The Dark Gray Color, Which I Think Looks Best. Great Phone, Very Small, Compact, Has Great Range, And It Still Works On 2g Networks

old_flip.phone_collector Report

#21

My Old Phone Has This Unusual Button

My Old Phone Has This Unusual Button

Nawozane Report

#22

I Found So Many Old Phones While Decluttering My Grandpa's Office

I Found So Many Old Phones While Decluttering My Grandpa's Office

Trizocbs Report

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Marie Dahme
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You can donate these to battered womens shelters. So long as they still work, you can use it to call 911 without it having to have service.

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#24

Nokia N-Gage

Nokia N-Gage

L. Cohen Report

#25

Ericsson T60d. Limited Edition Spider-Man Version

Ericsson T60d. Limited Edition Spider-Man Version

D_G599 Report

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#28

Toshiba G450. The Weird Little Phone

Toshiba G450. The Weird Little Phone

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Screen_Addict
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have so many questions. Wouldn't the buttons get confusing? Why is the screen so smol Why does this EXIST?

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#29

The Year Was 2010. I Was Being Handed Down This Phone From My Brother. Suddenly I Felt Like The Coolest Kid In the Class. This Is My LG KU990i

The Year Was 2010. I Was Being Handed Down This Phone From My Brother. Suddenly I Felt Like The Coolest Kid In the Class. This Is My LG KU990i

TDIRocker99 Report

#30

Samsung Serene

Samsung Serene

RyJones Report

#31

Introducing My 2009 Samsung Gloss Sch-U440

Introducing My 2009 Samsung Gloss Sch-U440

WholeGrainCamper Report

#32

Sierra Wireless Voq

Sierra Wireless Voq

Don MacKinnon Report

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#33

During The '90s Motorola Service Centers Offered "Express Exchange" Loaner Phones To Customers While Their Phones Were Out For Repair

During The '90s Motorola Service Centers Offered "Express Exchange" Loaner Phones To Customers While Their Phones Were Out For Repair

Sfphiynckxs Report

#35

This 20-Year-Old "Modern-Looking" Landline Phone

This 20-Year-Old "Modern-Looking" Landline Phone

fractionalhelium Report

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#37

This Is The Google Sooner, Which Is A Prototype For The First Android Phone. It Runs A Super Early Version Of The Android

This Is The Google Sooner, Which Is A Prototype For The First Android Phone. It Runs A Super Early Version Of The Android

JustinN2002 Report

#39

Nokia 7700

Nokia 7700

Shritwod Report

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Na Schi
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Oh, that was a fancy phone... designed for gamers. I had a classmate who had one and the graphic (in those times) was incredible. However, considering the limited availability of gamed and going online with your phone was still expensive as fück, it remained a status symbol but nothing more.

#40

Nokia E90

Nokia E90

_ITX_ Report

#41

I Still Like My Nokia 9110 Communicator

I Still Like My Nokia 9110 Communicator

espero Report

#42

Nokia 5510

Nokia 5510

Ben Wood Report

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scag$y
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Not only was it functional, it was a really beautiful thing too. Just beautiful. Looks like it was designed at 10pm in a pub on the back of a cigarette packet.

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#43

Motorola StarTac 6000e

Motorola StarTac 6000e

Sfphiynckxs Report

#44

My Old Mobile Phone Is Cool. Samsung P300 From 2005

My Old Mobile Phone Is Cool. Samsung P300 From 2005

sipeyskeyk Report

#45

My Phone's Battery And Main PC's HDD Both Started Failing At The Same Time, So I'm Relying On These Two A Lot More For The Time Being

My Phone's Battery And Main PC's HDD Both Started Failing At The Same Time, So I'm Relying On These Two A Lot More For The Time Being

BowzasaurusRex Report

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#46

Sidekick II

Sidekick II

LatencyVariation Report

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T. Brown
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Used to think I was the coolest with my sidekick, then seen someone with a iPhone for the first time. 😭

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#47

My Old High School Cell Phone And The Phone I Got After It

My Old High School Cell Phone And The Phone I Got After It

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#48

Samsung P910 TV

Samsung P910 TV

cellphonemuseum Report

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Daniel Atkins
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And back then people were thinking who would watch tv on their phones.

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#50

Nokia 9210

Nokia 9210

cellphonemuseum Report

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Note: this post originally had 69 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes.