How long has it been since you used a straight phone?
In the current era where smartphones are becoming increasingly popular, Nokia unexpectedly turned red. In the 2024 618 Mid Year Promotion, after working overtime to produce, the Nokia 3210 4G caught up with the last bus of 618 and was launched for sale at 8 pm on June 17th. Like the previous four times, it quickly sold out.
Nokia Mobile Weibo
On May 10th, after Nokia went out of stock for two days, the search volume of Nokia 3210 4G reached a peak on the second-hand trading platform Xianyu, with a 10 fold increase in daily search volume. According to a search by a trendy news reporter, in order to purchase Nokia 3210 4G in stock, there is a premium of tens to hundreds of yuan in various distributor stores and second-hand circulation platforms.
Many netizens suddenly realized that Nokita seemed to have fallen behind in the tide of the era with the transformation of the smartphone era.
After 25 years, will Nokia continue to thrive by replicating the classic model 3210? Who is rushing to replicate the Nokia 3210 4G?
Yeqinghui, Pingti, simple function
At the beginning, Nokia labeled this copier "Millennium", "Y2K" and other labels, sparking a wave of retro in the consumer market.
This model, which was released in 1999 and became popular worldwide, was once jokingly called a "walnut smashing artifact" due to its unique design and excellent quality, and has sold a total of 160 million units. At the beginning of its listing, its selling price once exceeded 3000 yuan, and according to the China Statistical Yearbook released by the National Bureau of Statistics, the average selling price per square meter of villas and high-end apartments in Zhejiang was 2747 yuan at that time.
Nokia Mobile Weibo
The Nokia 3210 4G, priced at 379 yuan, was announced to be sold out in just 2 days. For a moment, reminders filled the screen.
Nokia responded via Weibo: We have received all the reminders, and the factory production line is catching fire.
Some consumers are paying for their emotions. The replica Nokia 3210 4G comes in three colors: black, blue, and gold. It features a straight body and a nine grid keyboard full of nostalgia, packaged in plastic cases and film for sale. In addition, the phone retains the classic Snake game.
Nokia Mobile Weibo
No wonder some people say that the release of the Nokia 3210 4G remastered version is not only a return of the phone, but also a reversal of time, awakening the warm memories of the button era. In the ocean of homogenized smartphones, this simplicity and sentiment, like a clear current, make people feel nostalgic, classic, and never fade. Some people also miss their first phone, the NOKIA3210, which had a customizable color case and no external antenna. I really liked it back then, but unfortunately, it didn't have Chinese text messages.
Nokia Mobile Weibo Message
Rare, the Nokia 3210 4G has become the focus of public attention several times in the current era of smartphone dominance.
The 3210 replica version launched by Nokia this time has made some changes while retaining the basic functions of 25 years ago. For example, in terms of screen, the replica Nokia 3210 4G adopts a 2.4-inch IPS large screen, with more delicate color display, equipped with a 2-megapixel rear camera, and a photography effect similar to CCD. "This kind of 'paste out' image quality is fascinating." On social media platforms such as Xiaohongshu, many people exclaim: "What else should I buy CC, D buy Nokia?".
In the fiercely competitive and inwardly competitive smartphone market, the Nokia 3210 4G chipset is like a clear stream, forcefully opening up many application scenarios. For example, for elderly people who are not accustomed to using smartphones, a simple interface and large font design, loud sound, and one click dialing are perfect for use.
Compared to children's phone watches, the Nokia 3210 4G comes with built-in applications such as Himalaya and Migu Music, which can meet basic needs such as listening to stories, music, and answering phone calls for children at a lower price.
"My purpose is simple, just to bring a phone for children to make calls when they go out," said Mimi (pseudonym), a mother born in the 1980s who bought a gold Nokia 3210 4G phone that was released on June 17th. "I used to have a phone watch for children, but it just got better recently." I don't want to buy a phone watch anymore. I get addicted to buying one with multiple functions, but she doesn't like buying a simple one. She thinks this phone is quite fun. "
There is also a group of consumers who are minimalist lifestyle enthusiasts who want to try to break free from electronic dependence. In this era of information explosion, there are probably only phones like the Nokia 3210 4G with simple interfaces and practical functions that can allow people to focus on life itself and enjoy a moment of tranquility.
How many people are willing to pay besides emotions?
In fact, the Nokia 3210 4G 4G is not the only retro phone launched by Nokia. Starting from 2017. Nokia has successively launched replica models such as Nokia 3310 4G, Nokia 5310 replica, and Nokia 8210 4G.
However, even though Nokia has listed many reasons for choosing Nokia 3210 4G, in addition to built-in Himalaya, Migu Music, and support for mobile payments, it supports dual card and dual 4G functions. The built-in 1450mAh large capacity battery ensures long-lasting battery life, and the Type-C interface makes charging and data transmission more convenient
But this phone does not support WeChat and Wi Fi, and QR code payment requires the use of a smartphone to scan the code for binding during the first use.
At the end of the day, although there have been updates to the original version, the replica Nokia 3210 4G is a button phone with only basic functions.
Due to its low configuration, Nokia has positioned it as the preferred choice for both the "backup phone group" and the "student group" on the details page.
It's not surprising that some non fanatical consumers refer to it as "electronic waste". "After thinking about it, it seems that it won't be of much use except for buying and receiving verification codes. After all, with WeChat, people are using fewer phones these days."
This 3210 reprint turned red, perhaps because it happened to step on the current trend of retro revival, but probably that's all.
The last message on Nokia's official Weibo account shows: # Nokia 3210 # is currently sold out. Let's make an appointment on June 26th at 10am to start selling again, make an appointment now, and lock in the opportunity to buy!
Nokia Mobile Weibo
Perhaps the next wave of sales will still sell out again.
But are consumers who have purchased Nokia before the millennium still willing to purchase replica classics?
Some people say they don't know. "I remember that the Nokia 3210 and 5110 were launched around the same time, and I bought the Nokia 5110 at that time." Bing Bing (pseudonym) graduated shortly in 1999 and needed to save up half a year to buy a phone. "I remember that the Nokia 3210 was the first straight board phone, and the 5110 had a better signal with an antenna, and could also be changed. There were many colors to change, so I bought the Nokia 5110 at that time."
More than 20 years later, the classic reappeared, Bingbing still decided not to buy, "Why buy it? Can't brush Tiktok, can't use Baidu, and is not very practical." Even if we have to answer many calls in a day, Bingbing will feel "it's inconvenient to have two mobile phones in his pocket".
On the second-hand platform Xianyu, the new Nokia 3210 4G offers a premium, but not many people want it.
The data feedback from Xianyu seems to support that mobile phones are ultimately electronic products. In the current era of rapid technological iteration and rapid changes, consumers are spending money and emotions, but more importantly, it is rational. The sudden increase in search volume of Nokia 3210 4G is only temporary, "there may be occasional fluctuations, but it doesn't seem particularly obvious."