If you were using phones 25 years ago, there's a good chance you owned a Nokia 3210. The beloved phone was remarkable for its time, and it came with Snake, which is still remembered as one of the most memorable phone games of all time.
Now, according to a new leak from a now-removed listing from Finnish retailer Giganti (via NokiaMob), the fondly remembered feature phone looks to be coming back through HMD-owned Nokia. This comes after HMD posted on X saying, "An icon returns this May" with the hashtag "Nokiaphones" back in March.
The returning icon would make sense to be the Nokia 3210, as it's one of the company's most popular phones, with approximately 160 million units sold from 1999 onward.
The Nokia 3210 re-release's specs are not a complete recreation of the original, as there are several upgrades. The leak says it'll have a 2.4-inch QVGA color screen, whereas the original had a smaller 1.5-inch backlit monochrome graphic LCD display. While the original didn't have a camera, the new one is reported to have a 2MP f/2.8 shooter on the back that can capture video in 720p.
Giganti's listing suggests a sizeable 1,450mAh battery, which should keep the phone going for a few days. It probably won't last weeks or months like the original because it also has LTE connectivity, which will suck down juice a little more quickly.
An icon returns this May. #NokiaphonesBe first to hear more: https://t.co/2P7IwyjzpA pic.twitter.com/lIRBu9YF7vMarch 18, 2024
Of course, while people are nostalgic for the phones of the past, there's no guarantee that they'll actually want to ditch their smartphone in favor of a basic feature phone. After all, we've grown accustomed to the features offered by modern smartphones. Sure, it looks like Nokia is upgrading some specs, such as adding a color display, a camera, and LTE, but it'll still lack functionality compared to any of the best phones you can buy right now.
The reportedly retro €89 (~$96) price tag is one saving grace. That puts it at a point where users could pick one up as a fun nostalgia device, not necessarily one designed to replace their full-feature smartphone.
The phone is supposed to be announced on May 8 (with a May 15 ship date), so we should find out all the official details soon. While the leak is specific to Europe, hopefully, HMD will announce availability in other regions, too. This comes after HMD's recent announcement of making its own branded HMD phones that are expected to be released stateside soon.
